South Pacific

division

ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

THE GOSPEL, 1844, AND JUDGMENT

SEVENTH-DAY

ADVENTIST CHURCH

ADULT

SABBATH SCHOOL

BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

July

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Aug

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Sept 2006

July

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Aug

■

Sept 2006

FRENCH

POLYNESIA

FIJI

ISLANDS

NEW ZEALAND

PACIFIC

OCEAN

INDIAN

OCEAN

Tasman Sea

Great Australian

Bight

AUSTRALIA

NEW

CALEDONIA

SOLOMON

ISLANDS

TONGA

ISLANDS

TA HITI

SAMOA

ISLANDS

PITCAIRN

ISLAND

INDONESIA

COOK

ISLANDS

PA PUA

NEW GUINEA

VITI LEVU

Suva

Lae

*EAQ060701*

Where legally possible, offerings will go to these projects; otherwise special arrangement will be made with the

General Conference for distribution of funds based on the laws of the countries where these offerings are collected.

Unions

Chur

hes Companies Members Population

Australian Union Conference 409 77 51,884 20,129,000

New Zealand-Pacific Union Conference 137 33 17,146 4,596,000

Papua New Guinea Union Mission 844 2,461 224,469 5,680,000

Trans-Pacific Union Mission 438 563 84,782 1,985,000

Total 1,828 3,134 378,281 32,390,000

Mission Projects

● Purchase a new mission aircraft for the Papua New Guinea

Union Mission.

● Provide a worship-evangelistic center for students attend-

ing the international university in Suva, Fiji, which trains

young people from throughout the South Pacific.

For more information, visit www.adventistmission.org

●

* Map not drawn to scale

1844,

The Gospel,

and Judgment

Contents

1 “Principalities and Powers”— J u n e 2 4 - 3 0 ————————————— 6

2 Judgment Must Begin— J u l y 1 - 7 —————————————————— 1 4

3 Daniel 2— J u l y 8 - 1 4 —————————————————————————— 2 2

4 Daniel 7— J u l y 1 5 - 2 1 ————————————————————————— 3 0

5 Daniel 8— J u l y 2 2 - 2 8 ————————————————————————— 3 8

6 Daniel 9— J u l y 2 9 – A u g u s t 4 ————————————————————— 4 6

7 70 Weeks— A u g u s t 5 - 1 1 ———————————————————————— 5 6

8 1844 Made Simple— A u g u s t 1 2 - 1 8 ————————————————— 6 4

9 Day-Year Principle—Au g u s t 1 9 - 2 5 ————————————————— 7 2

10 Rome and Antiochus—August 26–September 1 ——————————80

11 The Sanctuary and the Little Horn—September 2-8 ——————— 8 8

12 The Pre-Advent Judgment—September 9-15 ———————————96

13 The Gospel and Judgment—September 16-22 ——————————104

14 The Meaning of the Judgment Today—September 23-29 ——— 1 1 2

Editorial Assistant

Larie S. Gray

Pacific Press

Coordinator

Paul A. Hey

Art Director and Illustrator

Lars Justinen

Concept Design

ver Design

Editorial Office 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904

Principal Contributor

Clifford R. Goldstein

Editor

Clifford R. Goldstein

Associate Editor

Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti

Publication Manager

Soraya Homayouni Parish

The Adult Sabbath School Bib

le Study Guide

is prepared b

y the Office of the Adult

Bible Study Guide of the Gener

al Conf

erence of Se

enth-day Adventists. The

preparation of the guides is under the gener

al direction of the Sab

bath School

Publications Board, a subcommittee of the Gener

al Conf

erence Administr

ativ

Committee (ADCOM), pub

lisher of the Bib

le study guides

The pub

lished guide

reflects the input of a w

ldwide e

aluation committee and the appro

al of the

Sabbath School Pub

lications Board and thus does not solely or necessar

ily repre

sent the intent of the author(s).

As Adventists, many of our “unique”

doctrines are not, really, unique. After all,

other Christians (not many, admittedly)

keep the seventh-day Sabbath, as well.

Though a majority of the Christian

world believes in the immortality of the soul, other Christians

understand that the dead sleep in the grave until the resurrection,

either the first or second. Various “Adventist” teachings, i.e., eternal

destruction (as opposed to eternal torment) or the nature of the mil-

lennium, can be found elsewhere too. In fact, almost all our doc-

trines are scattered throughout Christendom.

Except one: the 1844 pre-Advent judgment.

For some, this fact is worrisome;

Why don’t more Christians see it,

as well? For others, the uniqueness of the doctrine points even more

powerfully to the special calling of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church. It’s precisely because no one else teaches this judgment that

we have been raised to do so. From this doctrine, perhaps more than

any other, our distinct identity as Seventh-day Adventists arises.

This quarter we will study the 1844 pre-Advent judgment. But

not in isolation. As the title suggests, we’re going to look at the judg-

ment in the context of the gospel, because judgment without the

gospel is like law without grace: It leads only to fear, condemnation,

and death. On the other hand, judgment with the gospel (like law

with grace) leads to faith, assurance, and hope.

Perhaps the clearest link between the gospel and judgment is the

first angel’s message: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of

heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach. . . . Saying with a

loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judg-

ment is come”

(Rev. 14:6, 7). As far as God is concerned, the “ever-

lasting gospel” includes judgment; how foolish for us to make it any

less inclusive.

Our study this quarter will be divided into various parts. First,

we’ll let Scripture fill in the background for the judgment and the

whole plan of salvation.

The 1844 judgment

brings the Cross

into greater focus.

THE

ospel,1844,

Next, in the bulk of the quarter, we’ll establish the biblical basis

for the 1844 judgment, seeing for ourselves just what a solid basis

we have for this teaching, rooted in the Cross. For those whose

knowledge of the doctrine began and ended with an evangelistic

series, this study will help firmly ground you in this key truth. For

those who have already studied it in depth, this quarter will rein-

force what you already know and, perhaps, help you understand it

even better.

We’ll then look at some questions the teaching faces, using them

as a vehicle to better grasp the biblical basis for the pre-Advent judg-

ment.

Most important, we’ll look at the judgment in the context of the

gospel, of Christ’s death in our behalf, with the understanding that

because of His death we can have assurance in the judgment.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in

Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”

(Rom.

8:1). No condemnation now, and especially in the judgment.

Finally, we seek to answer such questions as: What does a judg-

ment whose beginning was dated in the nineteenth century mean

for us in the twenty-first? What does it tell us about ourselves, our

church, and, most important, about the God who promises to

return and take us home?

In the end, a proper understanding of the 1844 judgment will

bring out Christ’s death for us in greater clarity and depth, especially

as we await the Second Coming. Perhaps that’s why we, as Seventh-

day Adventists, have been called to preach it, because it does bring

the Cross into greater focus, and as we near the consummation of

all things, how important that the Cross be understood with all pos-

sible clarity. Thus, more than wanting you to come away from these

lessons with a better understanding of charts, dates, and numbers,

we want you to come away with a greater understanding of Jesus, of

the Cross, and of His ministry in heaven for us. If so, then our work

together this quarter will have been—through the grace of God—

richly rewarded and more than worth the effort.

and

udgment

Got

Questions?

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Sabbath School University is a

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fellowship, outreach, Bible study,

and missions. Sabbath School leaders,

don’t miss this weekly broadcast on

Hope Channel.

www.hopetv.org

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*June 24-30

“Principalities and Powers”

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Ps. 51:1-4; Zech. 3:1-4;

Matt. 22:11, 12; Rom. 3:4; Eph. 3:10; Heb. 2:14; 13:2; Rev. 12:7-13.

Memory Text:

“W

e have been made a spectacle to the whole

universe, to angels as well as to men”

(1 Corinthians 4:9, NIV).

ne of the most amazing discoveries of the past century was, lit-

erally, astronomical: the realization that billions of galaxies

exist, each one containing billions of stars. Though new galax-

ies are being discovered every day, the latest estimates are at about 125

billion . . . and counting. When one considers that each galaxy contains

billions of stars and that these stars could have planets revolving around

them, it’s not hard to understand why some people believe that life must

exist elsewhere in the universe.

Thus, using elaborate and sensitive radio telescopes, people are

engaged in a search for extraterrestrial life. Given the size of the uni-

verse and the number of stars scattered through it, surely we’re not

alone.

As Christians, though, we don’t need radio telescopes to learn about

the existence of life beyond our earthly borders. Through the Bible (and

the Spirit of Prophecy) we know not only that other beings exist but that

they’re interested in what’s happening here, on earth. In fact, the entire

universe is involved in the great controversy between Christ and Satan,

a struggle with implications that go far beyond our little planet.

This week we’ll go where the greatest telescopes can’t: into the heart

of the great moral issues f

acing not only humanity but all of God’s cre-

ation.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 1.

L ESSON

SUNDAY

June 25

“When the Morning Stars Sang”

Scripture mentions inhabitants from other worlds; that is, the exis-

tence of intelligent entities, not of earthly origin, is attested to all

through the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis, in which God

Himself creates the world and in which He utters the famous words,

“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness”

(Gen. 1:26, NIV),

we’re shown immediately not only the existence of something else

other than us, we’re shown it predating us, prior to us. We are, rela-

tively speaking, latecomers.

And though, of course, we know that the Godhead had to precede

us in order to create us, the Bible talks about other cosmic entities, as

well.

Read

the following texts (Job 1:6; 38:7, 8; Dan. 9:21; Acts 12:7;

1 Cor. 4:9; Eph. 3:10; Heb. 13:2). What do they tell us about these

nonhuman entities?

____________________________________________________________________

As said yesterday, while scientists are busy trying to find out

whether other life even exists elsewhere, the Bible shows not only that

it does but that it’s involved with us here on earth, sometimes in a

rather intimate way. Some of the above texts show these beings inter-

acting with humans, rescuing them, giving them knowledge, etc.

These texts reveal just a small sampling of the intense interaction

between humans and these nonhuman beings from another part of the

creation. That we can’t always see them means nothing, because we

know that all sorts of things exist that we can’t see.

The crucial points in all this are simple and yet, at the same time,

deep. First, we are not alone in the universe; other intelligent beings

exist. Second, these beings are not isolated from us; instead, some, at

least, are involved with humans here.

Thus, Scripture clearly paints a picture of reality not generall

accepted by modern thinking: the existence of supernatural beings

who are, indeed

, closel

y tied with humanity.

What are some of your favorite angel stories from the Bible? If

you’ve had some personal encounters with angels, be prepared

to share your story with the class. What kind of comfort does

the reality of angels give you?

June 26

The Devil’s Wrath

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought

against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and

prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the

devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out

into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”

(Rev. 12:7-

9; see also vss. 10-13).

As we saw yesterday, the Bible is clear on the existence of extra-

terrestrial life. As we know, though, not all of this life is friendly

toward us. On the contrary.

Based

on Revelation 12:7-13, answer the following questions:

● Where does the strife begin?

● Where does this battle wind up being fought?

● What are the thr

ee specific things the devil is depicted as doing

against us?

● The devil is angry because he has “but a short time” (vs. 12).

What does that mean? See Matt. 25:41.

● How do God’s people overcome the attacks of the enemy?

These texts reveal the background and reality of the great contro-

versy between Christ and Satan. Though begun in heaven, the battle is

now unfolding here on earth. What’s more, these texts show that we

are involved in this battle, in which the devil, unable to prevail against

Michael and His angels in heaven (Rev. 12:8), is now waging war on

us here.

In what ways do you experience the reality of this great contro-

versy every day? How does your understanding of the reality of

this controver

sy help y

ou cope with per

sonal trials?

MONDAY

TUESDAY

June 27

“The Accuser of Our Brethren”

Yesterday we looked at the foundations of the great controversy

between Christ and Satan and how we, as human beings, are involved.

We saw, too, that among the things that Satan does against us, he is

also “the accuser of our brethren . . . which accused them before our

God day and night”

(Rev. 12:10).

Though

the text doesn’t say just what it was Satan accused the

brethren of doing, given what we know about the condition of

humanity, what’s the logical answer? What texts can you find to

back up your answer? See, for example, Rom. 3:10-19.

____________________________________________________________________

Whatever else is going on in the great controversy between Christ

and Satan, we, as human beings, are in the middle of it. Satan, obvi-

ously, in his attack on God is attacking us, as well. This idea is

brought out in the book of Genesis, where the serpent, Satan

(Rev.

12:9), cast out of heaven to earth, brought about the fall of our earthly

parents (Gen. 3:1-7), which, in turn, led to the fall of the whole

human race, along with all its horrible consequences (Rom. 5:12). It’s

clear, too, that Satan is now taking advantage of what happened to us,

and among the things he does is to accuse us regarding our sins and

fallen condition. After all, if we were perfect, what would Satan have

to accuse us of? It’s because we’re flawed that he has so much to say

against us.

Read

Zechariah 3:1-4. The Hebrew verb translated in verse 1 as

“resist” or “oppose” or “accuse” (in the context of what Satan is

saying directly to Joshua) comes from the same root word for

“Satan.” What is going on here, and how does this fit in with what

we understand about the great controversy?

____________________________________________________________________

Though we can see here in Zechariah the work of Satan against

us, we also see the work of God for us. What hope and promise

can you find from these verses that God is working in our

behalf, even though we are sinners?

WEDNESDAY

June 28

“The Lord Rebuke Thee, O Satan”

As we saw yesterday, though Satan accused Joshua, who had been

dressed in filthy garments, it was Satan—not Joshua—who had been

rebuked. How could that be? It’s only because of the plan of salvation,

in which Christ defeats Satan and his accusations. The language of

Zechariah itself, with filthy garments and change of garments, is

gospel language; that is, it’s pointing to the plan of salvation and what

Christ does for His fallen people.

Read

the following texts (Isa. 61:10; Matt. 22:11, 12; Rev. 3:18). How

do they help us understand the gospel imagery in Zechariah 3?

____________________________________________________________________

Though fallen from heaven, Satan had brought the great contro-

versy to the earth. Through the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan brought

all humanity into the fray; through the plan of salvation, not only does

the Lord save us from the final consequences of that fall; He also

defeats Satan in the whole great controversy.

Read

Hebrews 2:14. How does it help us understand the inseparable

link between what Christ did here on earth and the ultimate

defeat of Satan?

____________________________________________________________________

Though this text doesn’t specify why, the death of Jesus is the

means through which, ultimately, Satan (and thus his rebellion) will

be defeated. There are bigger issues in the plan of salvation than just

saving us from sin. We need to remember—sin didn’t begin here; it

began somewhere else in the universe

(Isa. 14:12, Ezek. 28:15, Rev.

12:7).

Though we are in the midst of the great controversy, the issues

in it go bey

ond us. They are, literally, universal.

What are some local issues in y

our comm

unity that are small

parts of much grander themes? How do these relationships

(that is, local issues contrasted against the grander themes

behind them) help y

ou under

stand how the issues in the great

controversy could go beyond our personal salvation?

THURSDAY

June 29

The “Justification” of God

“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith

in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his

forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpun-

ished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so

as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in

Jesus”

(Rom. 3:25, 26, NIV).

If you read carefully the above verses, they reveal the idea that what-

ever else Christ accomplished at the Cross, it was also a demonstration

of God’s justice. “He did this to demonstrate his justice,” the text says.

This leads to a fancy theological term important for Adventists to

understand. The term is theodicy, and it means, basically, “the justifi-

cation of God.” It’s not justification in the sense that humans are justi-

fied (pardoned from sin) but justification in the sense of vindication.

Theodicy is the vindication of God’s goodness and justice, despite the

existence of evil. Here is the foundation of the great controversy: God’s

goodness and His justice will be revealed not just before human beings

but before all the onlooking universe.

Besides

the texts for today, how do these additional texts bring out

the idea of theodicy? Ps. 51:1-4; Rom. 3:4; Eph. 3:10; Re

v. 19:1, 2.

____________________________________________________________________

The whole idea of the great controversy and the ultimate vindica-

tion of God and His ways forms a wonderful background to the plan

of salvation. Though it doesn’t answer everything, it helps form a

template in which many issues, such as (1) Why did Jesus have to die?

(2) Why are we still here so long after the Cross? (3) Why does evil

still exist? can be answered. The concept of theodicy, too, as we’ll see

later, helps us understand the background for the pre-Advent judg-

ment; that is, it helps us understand why God even has the judgment.

In short, we are not alone in the universe; other beings exist, and it’s

before these other “principalities and pow

ers in heavenly places”

(Eph. 3:10) that issues in the great controversy will be resolved in a

way so that, as the psalmist said of God: “Y

ou are proved right when

you speak and justified when you judge”

(Ps. 51:4, NIV).

FRIDAY

June 30

Further Study:

“The Great Controversy” in Handbook of Seventh-

day Adventist Theology (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 12),

pp. 980–1009; Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 498, 499;

The Desire of Ages, pp. 22, 116; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 68, 69.

“But the plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose

than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to

the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world

might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vin-

dicate the character of God before the universe. To this result of His

great sacrifice—its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds,

as well as upon man—the Saviour looked forward when just before

His crucifixion He said: ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now

shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from

the earth, will draw all unto Me.’ John 12:31, 32. The act of Christ in

dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven acces-

sible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His

Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the

perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the

results of sin.”—Ellen G. White,

Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 68, 69.

Discussion Questions:

● Talk about the ministry of angels in your own experience.

● For many people, the idea of a literal battle between unseen

forces going on around us is a bit hard to believe. What other

examples, though, are there of unseen realities around us (e.g.,

germs, radio waves)? How could you use some of these to help

someone who is skeptical about the reality of the great contro-

versy?

● As a class, talk about the idea of theodicy, using also the Ellen

White quote above. Why is the idea so important? How does it

help us answer questions such as, Why are we still here so long

after the Cross?

● Does anyone in the class know someone who’s taking a bad

beating in the great controversy right now? If so, what can you

do as a group to bring that person some comfort and hope?

tor

INSIDE

Jane (left). Valerie Fidelia is director of family,

omen's, c

hildr

en’s, and health ministries in the

Middle East Union in Cyprus.

Labor of Love

Valerie Fidelia

Jane lives in northern Uganda. Like many others, she fled her home in

southern Sudan during heavy fighting. It is still too dangerous for her to

return. Jane is a displaced person, but she does not live in a tent and

receive food from charities. She lives in a thatched-roof mud hut that she

helped build. Every morning she rises before dawn and walks four kilo-

meters to her garden, where she tends her cassava and peanut crops, which

will feed her family. Then she returns home, showers, and walks another

six kilometers to teach sewing to displaced persons in another village.

Because there is no electricity, Jane uses two treadle sewing machines

to teach her students. They learn the principles of cutting and sewing using

brown paper rather than cloth. Once they are proficient using their paper

garments, Jane gives them cotton cloth to cut and sew.

Jane could get a job teaching sewing in a city, but she prefers to help

others who can’t afford to pay. Her sewing-school ministry will improve

the lives of many who have no other source of income. Jane also dreams

of teaching women to read and write in their own language and in English,

but she has no resources to start a literacy project.

Sewing and teaching are not Jane’s only ministries. Several evenings a

week she directs the church choir and works with the youth. Often she

arrives home after dark to prepare food and wash and iron her clothes.

When Jane dreams of the future, she does not dream of an easier life.

She dreams of using her skills and knowledge to help others. Jane receives

no income from the sewing students. Her work is her ministry for God,

teaching and leading them to the feet of

Jesus. With willing hands such as Jane’s,

the work of God is moving forward rap-

idly in southern Sudan and northern

Uganda. Our mission offerings provide

resources to lay men and women such as

Jane to share God’s love with others.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*July 1-7

L ESSON

Judgment Must Begin

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Eccles. 12:14; Dan. 12:1,

2; Matt. 8:12; 22:1-13; 25:31-33, 46; John 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:10.

Memor

y Text:

“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of

men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel”

(Romans 2:16).

raffiti written on a wall by an Italian atheist reads: “There is

no God—and Mary is His mother!” However funny, the point

is important: As human beings, we are subjective creatures.

However much we might try to be objective—to look at things hon-

estly, fairly, logically, without preconceived notions—we inevitably

bring our own ideas, culture, moods, and experiences into whatever

subject we approach. Even the idea of not having a preconceived

notion about something is, indeed, to have a preconceived notion

about something.

This week, while realizing our inherent limitations, we’re going to

be as objective as we can as we look at what the Bible says about

judgment. Let’s forget for the moment about 1844, the pre-Advent

judgment, Ellen White, Hiram Edson in the cornfield, etc. Instead,

let’s just let the Bible speak for itself on this important topic. And, as

it does, let’s see what answers it gives to the following questions: How

are judgment and the gospel linked? What are the final results of

judgment? Are Christians judged? What role do works play in judg-

ment? When is the judgment?

Though none of these answers contains all that we need to know on

the subject, woven together they form a nice tapestry that will enable

us to grasp better the concept of judgment, re

ardless of w

hate

preconceptions we already have about it.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 8.

SUNDAY

July 2

Hour of His Judgment

As Adventist Christians, we say that the gospel of Jesus Christ is

“good news.” In fact, the Greek word translated “gospel” means just

that, “good news.”

But if it’s good news, it’s good news about what? It’s the good news

that Jesus died as our Substitute (1 Pet. 2:24); that at the Cross He

paid the penalty for our sins (Isa. 53:6); that through faith in Him we

stand perfect in God now because we are covered with perfect right-

eousness (Rom. 3:22); and that because of what He has done for us,

we have the promise of eternal life (1 John 5:11, 12).

So, the good news is that we have eternal life, as opposed to—what?

Read

the following texts. What’s the option for those who, in the end,

don’t have eternal life? Dan. 12:2, Matt. 8:12, 25:46, John 3:18,

2 Thess. 1:9, Rev. 14:11.

____________________________________________________________________

Look at some of the images and phrases from these texts: “ever-

lasting punishment,” “smoke of their torment,” “condemned,” “ever-

lasting destruction,” “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” If this isn’t

talking about judgment, what is?

Thus, the good news of the gospel is that we

are spared condem-

nation in judgment. In other words, inherent in the gospel itself is the

promise that those who have accepted Jesus aren’t condemned as are

those who have rejected Him. There is, then, no such thing as the

gospel without judgment because “the good news” of the gospel is

that we are spared condemnation. In short, the gospel without judg-

ment is like a circle without roundness: By its very definition, the

gospel includes judgment.

Read Romans 2:16 and Revelation 14:6-8. How do these verses

show the link between the gospel and judgment? How does

what we’ve read today help you to understand even better what

we have to thank the Lord for because of the sacrifice of Jesus?

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

July 3

Life or Damnation?

Look

up the texts below. Who are the two ultimate classes of people

depicted here?

Dan. 12:2

____________________________________________________________________

Matt. 12:37

____________________________________________________________________

John 3:16

____________________________________________________________________

John 5:29

____________________________________________________________________

Whatever else judgment involves, it results in only two classes of

people: those who are saved eternally and those who are lost eternally.

These texts don’t show any kind of happy medium or middle ground.

In the end, the ultimate fate of all of us is either eternal life or eternal

destruction.

Thus, it’s clear from even these texts that some sort of judgment

divides the righteous from the wicked. A final separation occurs, a

judgment in which the final fate of everyone is, forever, decided.

Read

the following text: “When the Son of man shall come in his

glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the

throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations:

and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd

divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his

right hand, but the goats on the left”

(Matt. 25:31-33). What more

do they teach us about the nature of judgment?

A number of fascinating points are brought out here. First of all,

who is being judged? It says that “all nations” shall be gathered before

Him. Thus, this seems to be some sort of universal judgment; all

nations come under scrutiny, which means that everyone does because,

after all, is not the Lord “the Judge of all the earth”

(Gen. 18:25)?

Here, too, we are faced with the same clear division: the sheep and

the goats, the lost and the saved, those who shall, in Christ’s own

words, “go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into

life eternal” (Matt. 25:46).

It doesn’t get much plainer than that.

Dwell on the sober implications of the texts for today’s study.

How much more earnest should you be in caring not only for

your own soul b

ut in w

king prayerfully and faithfully for the

salvation of others?

TUESDAY

July 4

House of God

Yesterday’s study revealed the idea of some sort of universal, end-

time judgment that involved all people. But what about the church?

What about those who have professed the name of Jesus and, from all

outward appearances, are living the Christian life in sincerity and

faithfulness? Are they, too, judged?

As Christians, we understand that Jesus was judged and con-

demned at the Cross in our stead. He faced the condemnation for sin

that we, otherwise, would have to face ourselves

(see Isa. 53:4-6,

Matt. 20:28, Rom. 5:8, 2 Cor. 5:14, Eph. 5:2, 1 Thess. 5:10). As Ellen

White expressed it: “Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid

the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might

redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every

descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart.”—The Desire of

Ages, p. 753. Does this mean, then, that because Christ was con-

demned in our stead, Christians don’t face judgment?

Look

up the following texts. How do they answer the question Are

Christians judged?

Matt. 7:21-23

____________________________________________________________________

Rom. 14:10

____________________________________________________________________

Heb. 10:30

____________________________________________________________________

1 Pet. 4:17

____________________________________________________________________

These few texts, along with many others, make it abundantly clear

that God’s people, His church, do face judgment. When Jesus in

Matthew chided those who claimed that they did many wonderful

things “in thy name,” He wasn’t talking to atheists, Hindus, or

Wiccans because they don’t do things in His name. Christians do.

Paul’s words that “we shall all” stand before the judgment seat

includes himself in those who will be judged.

There’s no question that, according to the Word of God, those who

profess to be followers of Christ, those who are indeed “his people”

(Heb. 10:30) will face some sort of judgment at the end of time.

When was the last time y

ou w

e judg

ed,

either rightfull

y or

wrongfully? What difference does it make for you knowing

that, in the end, God will judge both with mercy and with jus-

tice? Why do y

ou w

ant mer

cy more than justice? Why will you

need it?

WEDNESDAY

July 5

“Every Secret Thing”

“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret

thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccles. 12:14).

Solomon writes the whole book of Ecclesiastes and ends with the

above text, which is about as clear and unambiguous a statement one

could find in Scripture regarding not only the reality of judgment but

that judgment involves our works, even “every secret thing.”

Of course, Solomon wasn’t the only one to tell us about a judgment

by works. Jesus was pretty explicit in Matthew 12:36, 37 when He

said that “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give

account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be

justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Peter makes it

plain also: “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of per-

sons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your

sojourning here in fear” (1 Pet. 1:17). Paul, too, understands the real-

ity of a judgment by works: “For we must all appear before the judg-

ment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his

body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”

(2 Cor. 5:10). John, in Revelation, writes also of a judgment by works:

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books

were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in

the books, according to their works” (Rev. 20:12).

What

other Bible texts can you find, such as in the parables, that talk

very clearly about a judgment by works?

____________________________________________________________________

Why does it make sense for there to be a judgment by works?

When you think about all the evil that has been done in this

world, how could God be just if there weren’t such a judgment?

On the lines below write out why it’s important, especially in the

context of theodicy (see last week’s lesson), for there to be a

judgment by works. Be prepared to compare your answers in

class on Sabbath.

____________________________________________________________________

THURSDAY

July 6

His Reward Is With Him

Read

Matthew 22:1-13 and then answer the following questions:

● What is the wedding imagery all about? See also Isa. 62:5,

Hos. 2:19, Matt. 9:15, Rev. 21:2.

____________________________________________________________________

● What significance is there to the fact that a person who had

accepted the invitation faced judgment?

____________________________________________________________________

● What was the fate of the man who, after scrutiny, was found

without a garment?

____________________________________________________________________

What this parable also teaches is that there is some sort of judgment

prior to execution of the sentence. After all, even in human courts,

how often is a sentence executed before an inquiry that leads to judg-

ment? Revelation 22:12, in which the Lord says that when He returns,

His “reward is with me,” also implies a prior judgment. (Why would

the reward already be with Him if there were not something before-

hand that determined w

ho should get it?) Second Corinthians 5:10

implies a reckoning prior to a final reward or punishment, so that

“each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in

the body”

(NIV). This idea is found also in Daniel 12:1, where those

found in the book of life are delivered.

Any kind of judgment according to works implies a reckoning of

those works

before the execution of the reward or punishment that

those works have deserved, be that judgment a hundred years or a

hundred seconds before the punishment or vindication is carried out.

And because, according to many of the texts we’ve seen this week, the

reward or punishment comes at the Second Coming, there must be

some sort of reckoning or judgment prior to that event itself.

How would you like to be judged, even punished, prior to some

sort of fair scrutiny of the facts? Why, then, is the idea of a

prior judgment so fair and logical? Think, too, about the ques-

tion of theodicy

of God being vindicated in His whole dealing

with Satan, sin,

and e

vil.

w does the idea of theodicy help us

understand the need for a scrutiny prior to execution of a sen-

tence?

FRIDAY

July 7

Further Study:

“Judgment deserves careful attention, since it is

involved in the issues of (a) divine justice in an unjust world (theod-

icy), (b) retribution for wrong done, (c) the suffering of the innocent,

(d) the resolution of the conflict of good and evil, and (e) the end of

sin and suffering. But above all, final judgment vindicates the Creator—

His character, law, and governance—in the minds of all created intel-

ligences, whether loyal or lost, thereby obtaining eternal security and

peace for the universe. Judgment is thus portrayed in Scripture as an

essential part of the ‘eternal gospel’ (Rev. 14:6, 7).”—Handbook of

Seventh-day Adventist Theology,

vol. 12, p. 815.

This week we’ve seen that Scripture teaches the following points

about judgment: (1) Judgment and the gospel are linked, even in-

separable; (2) there is some sort of final judgment near the end of time;

(3) among those judged are the professed followers of Christ; (4) works

are clearly part of this judgment; (5) only two final outcomes are pre-

sented, eternal life or eternal destruction; and (6) some sort of judgment

takes place prior to the execution of the sentence.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, go over your answers to the question at the end of

Wednesday’s study. What can you learn from one another? How,

too, does the question of theodicy play in with your answers?

● Go around the class and have each person who is willing

answer this question: How do you feel about the prospect of

being judged by your works?

● Ask different people in the class whether they have ever been

in a position in which they had to execute some sort of judgment

upon another person.What was the process like? How important

was it to be fair? How seriously did they take their responsibil-

ity? Why was it important to get all the facts before coming to a

conclusion? What can the class learn from what was said that

could help us better understand the idea of God’s judgment?

Seeking the Faith

of Jesus

Nixon Noel

When I realized that the church I had grown up in did not follow all of

God’s teachings, I began searching for a church that kept all of God’s com-

mandments, a church whose members loved one another. I asked my

friends for suggestions, and I prayed for God’s guidance. I was sure that

somewhere I would find a church that stood faithful to God’s Word.

One Sunday I heard a radio program amplified by a loud speaker out-

side my home. The speaker’s message captured my attention. After the

program ended, the radio announcer identified the station as the Voice of

Hope, broadcasting from Haitian Adventist University in Port-au-Prince,

Haiti. The announcer invited listeners to a week-long series of meetings

starting the next day.

I went to the meetings and arrived early so I would not miss a thing. The

speaker’s messages filled my spirit and refreshed my soul. I returned every

night and drank up the wonderful truths I was hearing. On Friday evening,

the last night of the meetings, I wondered where I could go to continue

feasting on the truths I had heard all week.

As I walked out of the hall, a woman invited me to church the next day.

Eagerly I accepted her invitation. I hurried home to polish my only pair of

shoes and press my threadbare shirt and trousers. My parents urged me to

wait to go until I had better clothes. But I was determined. If the people in

this church treated me badly because of my clothes, then I would know it

was not God’s church.

As I entered the church, I was welcomed warmly and shown to a seat.

The sermon touched my heart. During the closing song the pastor invited

those present to give their hearts to God. As the pastor repeated his invi-

tation, I walked forward.

The people prayed for me, and I knew I had found the church I was

searching for, the church that shows God’s love to everyone regardless of

status or clothes, the church that teaches the truth without fear of others. I

accepted each Bible truth as it was revealed to me, and I joined the

Adventist Church.

I thank God for the Voice of Hope in Haiti, the voice that led me to

Jesus.

The Voice of Hope radio station recently received part of a Thirteenth

Sabbath Offering, w

hich will allo

w the station to increase its output and

reach even more people in Haiti for Christ.

Nixon Noel lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

tor

INSIDE

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*July 8-14

L ESSON

Daniel 2

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Daniel 2.

Memory Text:

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of

heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the

kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in

pieces and consume all these kingdoms,

and it shall stand for

ever”

(Daniel 2:44).

young man, struggling with questions about God, confronted a

Christian and said, “I’ll give you an hour to prove to me that

God exists!” The Christian, without hesitation, took him

through Daniel 2. When he was finished, the young man confessed,

“Now I know there is a God in heaven!”

Those who know Daniel 2 can understand what happened. Here was

this book, written in the sixth century

B.C., laying out the history of the

world from Daniel’s time through ours, and even beyond. It’s hard to see

how any rational person, after studying Daniel 2, could come away

unimpressed by the prophecy and the God who has revealed Himself in

it. In fact, so powerful is Daniel 2 (as well as other parts of the book) as

a witness for the Christian faith that, in early centuries of the church,

opponents already argued that Daniel w

as written in the middle of the

second century

B.C., after the events it talked about, a view still held by

many today. This theory, though, is not only unsubstantiated but doesn’t

explain how the chapter could predict events long centuries beyond the

supposed second-century B.C. date of its composition.

This week we’ll look at this fascinating prophecy, which helps form

the foundation for our study this quarter on the judgment and the gospel.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 15.

SUNDAY

July 9

The Big Picture

Read

Daniel 2:1-25 and then answer the following questions:

● Why did the king’s servants want him to tell them the dream?

____________________________________________________________________

● What were the only two possible fates all the wise men of

Babylon faced with the king’s decree?

____________________________________________________________________

● How did Daniel’s actions reveal the utter helplessness of his sit-

uation from a human standpoint alone?

____________________________________________________________________

● Why was Daniel so confident (vs. 24) that he could reveal to the

king this secret?

____________________________________________________________________

Daniel’s prayer of thanksgiving in many ways reveals the main mes-

sage of the whole book: Despite outward appearances, the Lord is

Sovereign, even to the point of removing or setting up kings. Though

we, with our limited view of things (1 Cor. 13:12), may feel over-

whelmed by events, we can have the assurance that God is ultimately

in control.

Even more important, what this first section of the chapter shows is

that not only is God in control of the big picture, He’s close to us as

individuals. Look at how He came to Daniel in a “night vision” and

revealed to him what he needed to know. Talk about intimate contact!

Though Daniel was only a foreign captive in a massive world empire,

the Lord of all the earth

(Josh. 3:11), the Creator of the heavens and

the earth (Gen. 1:1), the One who holds the stars in their paths (Job

38:31),

manifested His power and His care to this simple Hebrew lad.

And, lest w

e forget—this is the same God whom we worship and

serve today.

When was the last time you were in a “hopeless” situation? In

what way did the Lord manifest His power and care to you at

that time? If willing,

shar

e your answer with the class.

MONDAY

July 10

Secret Revealed

Read

Daniel 2:26-45 and write out a summary of the dream and the

interpretation. To the best of your knowledge, what are the four

earthly kingdoms represented here?

●

____________________________________________________________________

●

____________________________________________________________________

●

____________________________________________________________________

●

____________________________________________________________________

Here’s Daniel, six centuries before the birth of Christ, laying out the

history of the world. The head of gold, of course, is named as Babylon

(vs. 38). The next kingdom, the one depicted by the breast and arms of

silver (vss. 32, 39), was the Medo-Persian Empire. The next one, sym-

bolized by the belly and thighs of brass (vss. 32, 39), was Greece; and

the fourth kingdom, symbolized by the iron in the legs (vss. 33, 40),

was the Roman Empire, which eventually led into the nations of mod-

ern Europe, symbolized by the feet, part of iron and part of clay

(vss.

33, 41-43).

This is not some Adventist scenario: Jewish and Christian Bible stu-

dents for many centuries have long interpreted Daniel 2 in this manner.

How

does the prophecy end? What kingdom is ultimately estab-

lished? And what does that answer reveal about the whole range

and sweep of this chapter?

____________________________________________________________________

Daniel 2 unfolds a sweeping panorama of history, an unbroken suc-

cession of world powers beginning more than five centuries before

Christ and ending sometime in the future, when God’s eternal king-

dom will be established after Christ’s return. Thus, Daniel 2 takes us

to the end of the world as we now know it. Those who limit it and its

prophecies to events prior even to the first advent of Christ are

severely misinter

preting a foundational teaching of the chapter

, not to

mention (as we’ll see) the entire book. Daniel, without question, is a

book that unfolds events right up to the second coming of Christ, and

beyond. It truly is, as it sa

ys in other places, dealing with the time of

“the end”

(Dan. 8:17, 19; 12:4, 9, 13).

TUESDAY

July 11

The Roman Empire

When you read Daniel 2, you’ll notice something:

What metal was used for Babylon?____________ What metal was

used for Media-Persia?____________ What metal was used for

Greece?____________ What metal was used for Rome?____________

Babylon is compared to a metal, Media-Persia is compared to a

metal, and Greece is compared to a metal. In contrast, in verses 33, 34

the iron that comes up after Greece (representing Rome) stays there

until the stone cut out “without hands”

(vs. 34) destroys everything.

The iron that arises after Greece remains until the end, though in the

feet it becomes mixed with clay. In the interpretation of that part of

the vision, the metal representing the fourth power, iron, remains until

the end, as well, though it’s depicted as mixed with miry clay (vss. 40-

44). The point is unmistakable: The fourth power arises after Greece

and remains until the end, even though it is manifested in a different

form. In Daniel, the fourth power, the power rising after Greece, stays

the same power (for it’s iron all the way through, unlike the previous

powers whose metal disappeared when a whole new empire arose),

though at some point it changed form. Thus, it’s Rome from the time

of Greece until the end of the world. Amazingly enough, Rome still

exists today as a worldwide power, though its form is radically differ-

ent from when it first arose after Greece.

Many

centuries ago, one of England’s greatest political thinkers wrote:

“If a man considers the origin of this great ecclesiastical dominion,

he will easily perceive that the papacy is no other than the ghost of

the deceased Roman empire, sitting crowned on the grave

thereof.”— Thomas Hobbes,

Leviathan. How does that quote help

us understand what Daniel 2 teaches about the Roman Empire?

____________________________________________________________________

Think for a fe

w moments about how amazing this prophecy is,

how so many centuries ago such an accurate prediction could be

made. How should this give you more confidence to trust in the

Bible and the promises made in it to us?

WEDNESDAY

July 12

Multiple Fulfillment?

In Daniel 2, five kingdoms are depicted, though the chapter itself

specifically identifies only two: the first, Babylon

(vss. 37, 38), and

the last, God’s kingdom (vs. 44). However, as we’ll see in greater

detail later, Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 cover much of the same ground,

only from different perspectives. Also, in those two chapters, two

more of the five kingdoms are named.

Read

Daniel 8:20, 21. What two kingdoms, already discussed in yester-

day’s study, are specifically named?

____________________________________________________________________

If we were to chart the kingdoms depicted, and specifically named,

in Daniel, the outline would look like this:

Babylon (Dan. 2:37, 38)

Media-Persia (Dan. 8:20)

Greece (Dan. 8:21)

Fourth kingdom

God’s eternal kingdom (Dan. 2:44)

Read

Daniel’s own interpretation of the vision (Dan. 2:37-45). Do you

see anything there indicating that these prophecies can have dif-

ferent meanings in different times? Defend your answer.

Though the fourth kingdom is not named, only one power can pos-

sibly fit (more on this later). However, of the five kingdoms depicted,

four are named. The prophecy says absolutely nothing about their hav-

ing multiple fulfillment; that is, the kingdoms symbolizing one thing

in one era, another thing in another. Considering what’s named—mas-

sive empires immovably and immutably rooted in world history

itself—the idea that we can somehow give these specific prophecies

here in Daniel different fulfillment in different eras certainly doesn’t

arise from anything in the te

xts themselves. In short, there is

absolutely no justification for the idea that this prophecy is open to

different fulfillment in dif

ferent times in history.

We live in a world in which things are, inherently, unstable. The

ground, in an instant, can crumble beneath our feet. The past,

though, is unchangeable, immovable. Look at how solid a foun-

dation God has gi

en us with this pr

ophecy

w can you use

what’s been depicted here to strengthen your own faith?

THURSDAY

July 13

Antiquity to Eternity

One point should, by now, be very clear regarding our study of

Daniel 2, and that is—it is, in many ways, a historical study. Though

some of the prophecy leads into our time and beyond, its foundation

is based

in history.

Read

again Daniel 2:37-45. Summarize, on just two lines, the basic

message of this text.

____________________________________________________________________

This prophecy begins in antiquity and follows a continuous sweep

of world history that extends unto “the time of the end” (Dan. 12:9);

that is, beyond us and into the future world of God’s eternal kingdom.

More than anything else, these verses reveal, too, the method for

how we should interpret the prophecies in Daniel. Daniel 2:37-44, by

interpreting the dream, contains the key to understanding the proph-

ecies, because the texts themselves interpret the prophecies. This

proves that the historicist approach to interpretation (of which

Adventists remain almost alone in still adhering to) is what the text

demands. The historicist approach teaches what Daniel 2 teaches, that

these prophecies follow the sweep of human history from antiquity to

eternity and that they are not focused solely on events in the far past

or solely on events in the future but cover the scope of world history

from the past into the future. Thus, in the first prophetic section of

Daniel, we are given the key to understanding its prophecies.

Read

Daniel 2:34, 35 and its interpretation in verses 44, 45. What do

they tell us about the nature of this last kingdom in contrast to the

fate of all the kingdoms before it? What do we find in these texts

that proves this kingdom has not yet been established?

____________________________________________________________________

As we can see, Daniel was correct about all the kingdoms he

predicted would rise and fall. His predictions about Europe

have come true with painful accuracy. How much reason, then,

do you have to trust him on the pr

omise of the esta

lishment of

God’s final kingdom?

FRIDAY

July 14

Further Study:

“Some will take the truth applicable to their time,

and place it in the future. Events in the train of prophecy that had their

fulfillment away in the past are made future, and thus by these theo-

ries the faith of some is undermined.”—Ellen G. White, Selected

Messages, vol. 2, p. 102.

As we’ve seen this week, Daniel 2 presents a powerful case for our

trust in the inspiration of the Word. How someone six centuries before

Christ could have outlined world history as accurately as he did is

something that defies a purely natural explanation. That point is so

obvious, in fact, that some people have claimed that the prophecy is

vaticinium ex eventu (prophecy after the event), that the book of

Daniel was written in the second century before Christ and that it was

about only past events, events prior to it being written.

This view falls apart on a number of counts.

First of all, Christ’s words in Matthew 24:15 prove that Jesus

believed some of Daniel’s prophecies were yet future.

Second, even if one were to reject Daniel’s own words about when

he lived (Dan. 1:1, 2:1, 7:1, 9:1) and date the book in the second cen-

tury before Christ, how does this explain the amazing accuracy with

which he predicted not only the world dominion of the Roman Empire

(which hadn’t happened yet) but its breakup into what became the

nations of modern Europe, which—in its present state—is exactly as

Daniel had written? Not bad for a man writing centuries before some

of these events unfolded. In short, there is no reason whatsoever that

we should accept the second century

B.C. date for Daniel, especially

when the idea was originated by people who wanted to discredit

Christianity to begin with. As Christians, we must take the Word for

what it says, as opposed to what humans say instead.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, talk about your answers to Sunday’s final question.

● In what ways can the prophecy of Daniel 2 be a powerful wit-

nessing tool, especially for those who are skeptical even about the

existence of God?

tor

INSIDE

The Greatest Physician

Elvie Velasco

Felix was too busy enjoying life to think about God. Then he got sick.

We helped him get from his mountain home in southern Philippines to the

hospital several hours away. After examining him, the doctors told Felix

that he had cirrhosis of the liver and probably would die within the month.

“Go home,” they urged.

Back home Felix lay on his mat, too weak even to sit up. Every day my

student-missionary partner and I visited him and prayed for him. Felix

could hear the village children singing songs during morning worship. He

heard us tell Bible stories. One day Felix said, “I heard you tell the chil-

dren that your Jesus healed a man who could not walk. Can your Jesus

heal me too?”

We assured Felix that Jesus can heal if it is His will.

“How do I ask God to heal me?” Felix asked. We explained that he must

believe that Jesus could heal him and be willing to give his life to God and

follow Him.

“But how do I keep the Sabbath?” Felix asked. “I am too weak to attend

church or even to sit up,” he said, his voice choked with tears.

We explained that God had set aside the Sabbath as a day to worship,

and Felix could worship God on his sick bed by praying and by listening

to God’s Word spoken from the church.

“I will do that!” he promised. We prayed with Felix and encouraged him

to trust in God.

On Sabbath we were surprised to find Felix sitting in the church long

before services started. “How did you get here?” we asked.

“Every day I prayed to Jesus to heal me. I promised to keep His Word

and obey His commandments. Today my wife helped me sit up. It was

painful, but I made it. Then she helped me stand and slowly walk to

church.”

We praised God for healing Felix in body and in soul. Today Felix walks

around the village without help, stopping to tell people how his friend

Jesus, the greatest Physician, healed him. Felix and his wife will be bap-

tized as soon as a minister can climb the mountain to their village.

Our mission offerings help support Mountain View College and the

student-missionary program there that has reached thousands of people in

southern Philippines.

Elvie Velasco was a student missionary (SULAD) from Mountain View College, in southern

Philippines.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*July 15-21

L ESSON

Daniel 7

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Daniel 7.

Memory Text:

“Until the Ancient of Days came and pro-

nounced judgment in fa

vor of the saints of the Most High, and the

time came when they possessed the kingdom”

(Daniel 7:22, NIV).

f Daniel 2 provides powerful, rational evidence not only for God’s

existence but for His power to control the future, Daniel 7 pro-

vides even more. Daniel 7 covers the same ground as does Daniel

2, as well as provides a key element not explicitly expressed in Daniel

2: the great judgment in heaven that leads directly to the second com-

ing of Jesus and the end of this world as we know it. In short, in

Daniel 7 we are shown the pre-Advent judgment.

The key to understanding Daniel 7 is found in Daniel 2. “In fact, the

two visions [Daniel 2 and 7] follow a parallel development. They cover

the same time span, from Babylon to the end of human time, and

evoke the same four kingdoms represented symbolically by metals in

chapter 2, and by beasts in chapter 7. Such a parallel is more than a

unifying factor—it is the key to our method of interpretation. We must

read chapter 7 in the light of chapter 2.”—Jacques Doukhan,

Secrets

of Daniel (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Publishing Assoc.,

2000), p. 100.

There’s so much in Daniel 7 (we will return to it later); for now, we

will get a quick overview of this amazing prophecy, with an empha-

sis on its climactic scene: the heavenly judgment, which leads to the

return of Christ and the fulf

illment of our great hopes as believers in

Jesus.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 22.

SUNDAY

July 16

Daniel’s Dream

Read

Daniel 7:1-14. On the lines below, summarize in your own

words the essence of Daniel’s dream.

____________________________________________________________________

As you read, you’ve probably noticed a few parallels with Daniel 2,

such as (1) the same number of different entities appear, (2) there is

emphasis on the last entity (in Daniel 2 it was the iron), and (3) both

end with God establishing His eternal kingdom.

Are there any other parallels?

verses 16 and 17, Daniel is immediately given the basic interpreta-

tion of his dream. What is the interpretation, and how does it par-

allel Daniel 2?

____________________________________________________________________

It’s obvious that what we have in Daniel 7 is a more detailed depic-

tion of what was revealed in Daniel 2. Though more details are given

about these powers, the four beasts in Daniel 7 represent the same

four kingdoms as in Daniel 2. Scholars have long recognized them as

the following:

Babylon (lion)

Media-Persia (bear)

Greece (leopard)

Rome (fourth beast)

God’s final kingdom

Here, again, we are shown that the foundation of the prophecies in

Daniel is based on

history. Daniel sweeps over world history from

ancient times right through to ours and beyond. If that point wasn’t

made clear enough in Daniel 2, it’s repeated in Daniel 7.

How blessed we are to know not only that our God is in control but

that, regardless of what happens here and now, in the end, He will set

up His eternal kingdom.

The establishment of God’s final kingdom is assured. What

assurance do y

ou ha

e that you will be there when it is? What

is your assurance based on?

MONDAY

July 17

The Fourth Beast

There’s an important parallel between Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 that

we don’t want to miss. In Daniel 2, the iron, the fourth power, arises

after Greece

(vss. 32, 33, 39-45), and, though taking another form, it

remains until the end. It was destroyed only when God set up His

kingdom.

In Daniel 7, with the fourth beast, the fourth power, the same thing

happens. The fourth beast, which arose after Greece

(vss. 6, 7),

remains until the end of time (though taking another form), when it is

destroyed at the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom (vss. 19-27).

Thus, in both Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, the fourth power, the one aris-

ing after Greece, remains until the end of the world.

Read

Daniel 7:19-27 and then answer the following questions:

What parallels do you see between the description of the fourth

beast (Dan. 7:19) and that of the fourth power in Daniel 2 (vs. 40)?

____________________________________________________________________

From where does the little horn arise?

____________________________________________________________________

What ultimately brings about the demise of the little-horn

power in Daniel 7?

____________________________________________________________________

In Daniel 7, more time is spent dealing with this little-horn power

than with any of the other powers. Obviously, this little horn, which

arose out of the fourth beast, and thus remains part of it, is deemed

very serious by the Lord, for so much time is spent on it. This power,

though arising out of the fourth beast, e

xists until the end of time,

when—

after the judgment in heaven—God sets up His earthly king-

dom. Only then is it destro

ed.

People have often talked about trying to build a kingdom of

God on earth here and now. Inevitably, all these have failed.

Why? Why is our ultimate hope only in God’s supernatural

intervention in our behalf

as depicted in this chapter?

TUESDAY

July 18

The Little Horn

Daniel 7 goes from Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece to pagan

Rome, the phase of Rome that arose right after the downfall of Greece.

Then, while depicting this Roman power, Daniel 7 describes the rise of

the little horn, which is still part of the fourth beast, though another

phase of it. Who is this little horn? The Protestant Reformers almost

unanimously saw it as papal Rome. Indeed, even before the

Reformation, some Jewish scholars also identified the little horn as the

papal phase of the fourth beast. It’s hard to see how it could be any-

thing else. In fact, it can’t be anything else. You might need faith to

believe in the Second Coming or the resurrection of the dead, but you

don’t need much faith to see papal Rome as the power depicted here.

Below

are some traits of the little horn. Given however much you

know about the papacy, how do these descriptions match it?

● The little horn arises from pagan Rome (Dan. 7:19, 20).

● The little horn makes war with the saints and prevails

against them (Dan. 7:21, 25).

● The little horn thinks to change “times and laws” (Dan. 7:25).

● The little-horn power is blasphemous (Dan. 7:25).

All these attributes have been powerfully and graphically

recorded in history. There’s no question here regarding the

identity of this little-horn power. Though we have to be diplo-

matic in how we deal with these prophecies, and seek to teach

them in a w

y that doesn’

t hur

t other people

, we would be

unfaithful to our biblical mandate

(see Rev. 13:1-9, 14:6-12)

were we, in the interest of political correctness, to abandon this

position in fa

vor of something less controversial.

WEDNESDAY

July 19

Time, Times, and Dividing of Time

Read

Daniel 7:25. What is the time prophecy given there?

Even non-Adventists have recognized that the time, times, and divid-

ing of time here means three and a half years. One study Bible by

Thomas Nelson says: “A time, times and the dividing of time . . . is an

expression used in Daniel and in Revelation to refer to three and a half

years, or 1,260 days, or 42 months (12:7; Rev 11:2; 12:6, 14; 13:5).”

How

do the texts in the above quote help you understand why the time

prophecy in Daniel 7:25 is the same as 1,260 days?

As others have done, Adventists apply the day-year principle to this

prophecy, which means it’s dealing with 1,260 years, not 1,260 literal

days. Later we will spend a whole week on the day-year principle. For

now, we can see that Daniel 7 is full of symbols: a lion with wings, a beast

with iron teeth, a little horn that has eyes. Why would a time prophecy,

imbedded among these symbols, be anything but symbolic itself?

Thus, we’re given a 1,260-year period delineating an aspect of papal

Rome, in this case, a period of persecution.

If w

e date the beginning of papal Rome to the late fifth, early sixth

century, 1,260 years later brings us to the late eighteenth, or early nine-

teenth, century. Again, history bears out that the long period of papal

political dominion, which included massive persecution, petered out in

the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

What

happens in the prophecy after the 1,260-year period is

depicted?

Dan. 7:25-27 (see also Dan. 7:8-10, 21, 22).

After the rise of the little horn, which came after all the preceding

beasts, the prophecy depicts a great judgment in heaven that leads to

the Second Coming.

The crucial point here is that, according to this prophecy, the judg-

ment in heaven comes

after the 1,260-day prophetic period, sometime

after that phase of persecution that ended in the late eighteenth, or

early nineteenth, centur

y yet before the Second Coming.

Thus, within the inter

pretation, w

e are given historical evidence to

help us understand the timing of this judgment, w

hich leads to the

demise of the little horn and to the end of this world.

One thousand two hundred and sixty years is a long time. What

message is there for us, who might die before seeing all our

hopes and dreams realized in this life?

THURSDAY

July 20

Horn, Judgment, Kingdom

Yesterday we saw that Daniel 7 presented a specific sequence of

events: There was the little-horn power, followed by a judgment in

heaven, which ended in the establishment of God’s kingdom. This

sequence is so important it’s found three times in the chapter itself.

Read

Daniel 7:7-10, 14. How is this specific order—little horn, judg-

ment, God’s kingdom—shown there?

Read

Daniel 7:19-22. How, again, is that same sequence depicted?

Read

Daniel 7:24-27. How, again, is that sequence presented?

Three times in Daniel we are given this sequence:

Little horn

Judgment in heaven

God’s kingdom

Obviously, this sequence must be of major importance; otherwise,

why would the Lord have given it

three times in the prophecy? What’s

fascinating, too, is that with the little horn, we are given our first

apocalyptic time prophecy (apocalyptic simply means dealing with

end-time events), a time prophecy that helps us understand the timing

of this judgment, which occurs after the 1,260 years and yet before

God’s eternal kingdom is established.

Thus, we can express the prophecy like this:

Little horn (late eighteenth, early nineteenth, century)

Judgment in heaven

God’s eternal kingdom

What’s crucial to understand about this judgment, too, is that

though it results in the demise of the little-horn power, it also results

in the end of this world. As Daniel 2 showed, everything is going to

be swept away and replaced by God’s kingdom.

Daniel doesn’t depict the end of the world as some sort of com-

promise: It culminates, instead, in the total victory of good over

evil. What lesson is there for us in how we deal with evil in our

own lives on a day-by-day basis? Are you compromising with

evil now, in any way?

FRIDAY

July 21

Further Study:

Below is all of Daniel 7, with the first apocalyptic

time prophecy imbedded in the sequence. What we’ve added, too, are

the approximate times that each of the empires collapsed. Though his-

torians often put specific dates on these events, centering often around

decisive military battles, the collapse of one empire and the rise of

another usually occurs over many years, not just one (remember, too,

that the fourth beast and the little horn that comes out of it are

depicted in Scripture as one power):

Babylon

(Ends early mid-sixth century

B.C.)

Media-Persia

(From early mid-sixth century to early mid-fourth century

B.C.)

Greece

(From early mid-fourth century to mid-second century

B.C.)

Pagan Rome

(From mid-second

B.C. to fifth–sixth century A.D.)

Papal Rome

(Persecution from sixth century A.D. to eighteenth–nineteenth

century A.D.)

Judgment in heaven

Second Coming

Sure, the papacy didn’t end in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth

century, but that’s not what the prophecy says. Instead, it says only that

persecution would last for this length of time, or at least that phase of

that persecution (Revelation 13, of course, talks about a resurgence of

papal persecution, but that’s another issue).

Thus, what’s clear so far from Daniel 7 is that this massive judg-

ment scene in heaven leads to the establishment of God’s kingdom and

occurs sometime

after the 1,260 years of papal persecution, sometime

after the late eighteenth, or early nineteenth, century but before the

Second Coming.

Discussion Questions:

● Daniel 7:22 says that judgment was given in “favor of the

saints” (NIV). As a class, discuss what that means. What else in

Daniel 7 shows us that the judgment is such good news?

● Review the evidence that helps give us a positive identification

of the little horn. How can we present this teaching in a way that’s

as least offensive as possible and yet, at the same time, doesn’t

compromise w

hat the Scriptur

e teaches?

tor

INSIDE

New Church in the

Neighborhood

Altanundral

Two years ago a new church was built in our neighborhood in Mongolia.

It was big news in our town, and people visited the church out of curios-

ity. I went too, just to see what it was about. I had no religion; I did not

even know whether there was a God.

The simple wooden church felt like a peaceful refuge, and the music,

prayers, and sermons fed me. I decided to return.

I realized that my life was full of bad things, and I needed some peace.

My husband is an alcoholic, and when he drank too much, he beat me. I

worked in a factory, cared for my three sons, and kept house for my fam-

ily. Church became a place of refuge for me. The pastor’s sermons were

practical and related to my life and experience. Once I started attending, I

did not want to stop.

At first my husband objected to my church attendance. But I persisted,

and I took my sons with me. I taught them to pray. One day my youngest

son picked a tiny potato in our garden. He asked me to cook it for him.

Then he put it on a plate and prayed, thanking God for that one small

potato. It touched my heart.

Then I learned that I was pregnant. The baby was breech, and I needed

to have a caesarian section. While I awaited surgery, I prayed, and the

prayers brought me peace. I healed much more quickly than the doctor

thought possible. I think that is because I entrusted my life to God.

Because of this experience, I realized how relevant God is in our lives.

When my son was two months old, I returned to church and asked to be

baptized.

My husband’s attitude toward God continues to change. We invite him

to join us when we pray. He is praying

more and drinking less. I have learned that

prayer really works.

If this little church had not been built in

our neighborhood, I might never have

experienced God’s love in such a personal

and powerful way.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings in

2001 helped make this church a reality.

Thank you.

Altanundral lives in Darhan, Mongolia.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*July 22-28

L ESSON

Daniel 8

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Daniel 8.

Memor

y Text:

“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three

hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”

(Daniel 8:14).

aniel 8, as we’ll soon see, covers much of the same ground as

Daniel 2 and Daniel 7: It shows a flow of history, beginning in

antiquity and going up through the “time of the end” (Dan.

8:17), the first time the phrase appears in the book of Daniel (but not

the last). Along with the overwhelming evidence from previous chap-

ters that Daniel deals with end-time events, Daniel 8 comes right out

and says it, a problem for those who want to limit the events of Daniel

8 to a historical period in Israelite history that ended in the second cen-

tury

before Christ—a view that for this reason (and others) is untenable.

Also, like Daniel 2 and 7, Daniel 8 is divided into two sections: a

dream/vision and then an explanation of that dream/vision. In Daniel

8, the first 14 verses deal with his vision, in which Daniel sees a ram,

a goat, and a little horn, followed by the cleansing of the sanctuary.

The rest of the chapter is the explanation given him regarding the ram,

the goat, and the little horn. Interestingly enough, the part about the

sanctuary being cleansed is not explained here. And, as we’ll see—

though specifically told that the vision of the sanctuary being

cleansed “is true” (vs. 26)—Daniel says that he doesn’t understand it

(vs. 27). That’s because it wasn’t explained, as were the other elements

in the vision. This point becomes impor

tant later, when we study the

next chapter, in w

hich an e

xplanation is f

inall

y gi

en.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 29.

SUNDAY

July 23

Animals, Again

Read

Daniel 8:1-14. On the lines below, give a summary of the vision.

Concentrate especially on the sequence of events as presented to

Daniel.

____________________________________________________________________

After Daniel is given this vision of the ram, the goat, the little horn, and

the sanctuary being cleansed, notice what happens in verses 15 through

18. Daniel says that he sought for the meaning of what passed before him

in vision. A “man’s voice” then calls out and tells the angel Gabriel to

“make this man understand the vision.” Gabriel then approaches

Daniel. Notice, too, how the angel prefaces his words. Twice (vss. 17,

19) he tells Daniel that the vision deals with “the end.”

Read

the rest of the chapter. What interpretation does Gabriel give

Daniel?

____________________________________________________________________

In reference to both Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, we said that Media-Persia

and Greece were depicted as some of the great powers that would arise

in world history. Here, now, there’s no guess: Gabriel comes right out

and names them. (Unlike the other two visions, Babylon is not depicted

here in Daniel 8; in a later week we will look at one reason why.)

After naming Media-Persia and Greece

(vss. 20, 21), he gives an

explanation of the little-horn power that arises next. Though we will look

at it in more detail tomorrow, notice how this little-horn power is

destroyed

(vs. 25)—language very similar to how Daniel 2 described

God’s supernatural intervention that brings the end of the world (vs. 34).

Thus, the events of Daniel 8 could be summarized like this:

Media-Persia

Greece

Little horn

Sanctuary cleansed

Daniel 8 is another place in the Bible that shows us that God

ultimately is in control. How does this reality give you some

hope amid whatever trials you are now facing?

MONDAY

July 24

The Little Horn

In our survey of Daniel, we’ve seen that it has dealt with five king-

doms, four of which have been named for us: Babylon (Dan. 2:38),

Media-Persia (Dan. 8:20), Greece (Dan. 8:21), God’s eternal king-

dom (Dan. 2:44; 7:14, 18, 22, 27). The only one not specifically

named is the one that, in all three visions, arises after Greece and

exists until the time of the end. Below is a chart with all the earthly

kingdoms depicted, those named and the one not named:

Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Daniel 8

Babylon Babylon ——

Media-Persia Media-Persia Media-Persia

Greece Greece Greece

Next kingdom Next kingdom Next kingdom

Supernatural Supernatural Supernatural

destruction destruction destruction

at end at end at end

From

what you have studied so far, what is the identity of that little-horn

power in Daniel 8? What reasons can you give for your conclusion?

The obvious answer, of course, is Rome (both pagan and papal). Here

are just a few of many reasons why:

Looking at the parallels between the visions, one can see it was Rome

in Daniel 2, Rome in Daniel 7; thus, obviously, it’s Rome in Daniel 8.

The little-horn power comes up after Greece and extends to the time

of the end, when it is supernaturally destroyed. What power, rising after

Greece, still exists today?

Notice, too, that Media-Persia is depicted as “great”

(vs. 4), and that

Greece is depicted as “very great” (vs. 8). In contrast, the little- horn

power is depicted as “exceeding great” (vs. 9). Though people can

argue over whether “exceeding” great is more than “very” great,

“exceeding great” is certainly more than just “great.” Thus, this little-

horn power is, at least, greater than the Medo-Persian Empire. Again,

what power, coming up after Greece, existing until the end, could be

depicted as greater than Media-Persia other than Rome?

We saw last w

eek how that little-horn power in Daniel 7 was, clearly,

papal Rome. We have here the same symbol in Daniel 8. Both, too, are

described as persecuting po

wers, as well.

Study some of the attributes of the little horn. In what ways can

we, as individuals, manifest the same spirit as the little horn?

TUESDAY

July 25

The Little Horn (Cont.)

The evidence we’ve seen so far is overwhelming that the little-horn

power arising after Greece in Daniel 8 is the same power that arises

after Greece in both Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, and that’s Rome, begin-

ning as pagan Rome and then changing into papal Rome.

The two phases are seen in the imagery of all three chapters. In

Daniel 2, as we saw, the iron that arises after Greece (the brass)

extends to the end, though the form changes in the feet, when it

becomes mixed with clay. While the emphasis here is political more

than religious and the focus is on the various nations themselves, this

change in Rome coincided with the rise of the papacy, both in time

and location. If nothing else, in Daniel 2 we see the idea of Rome

changing form at some point in history.

In Daniel 7, as we saw, the fourth beast came first, followed by the

little horn, another phase of the same power.

Review

the details of the little horn in Daniel 7. What are the reli-

gious elements that are revealed there in this phase of Rome?

____________________________________________________________________

In verse 8, after describing the breakup of Greece into various king-

doms, the little horn is depicted as coming from “ ‘up among them’ ”;

that is, one of “ ‘the four winds of heaven’” (vs. 2, NIV), its immedi-

ate antecedent. Right after this, the two phases of the little-horn’s

activity are revealed, as well.

What

is the directional activity of the little horn as depicted in Daniel

8:9? Contrast that directional activity with what the little horn

does in verses 10-12. What difference do you see?

____________________________________________________________________

In verse 9, the little horn moves horizontally across the face of the

earth, depicting military or political expansion (compare with Dan.

8:4). In the next few verses, the activity is depicted as vertical, heaven-

ward, in an attack on the “host of heaven,” on the “Prince of the host,”

even against the sanctuary itself. Though, obviously, the little horn

does not reach literally into heaven itself, what this does depict is the

religious nature of its attack.

Thus, here in Daniel 8, as w

ell, w

e are

given two phases of the same power: first the pagan phase then the

distinctly religious activity of the papal phase.

WEDNESDAY

July 26

Sanctuary Cleansed

In review, what we have studied in Daniel 8, so far, could be sum-

marized like this:

Media-Persia

Greece

Rome

Sanctuary cleansed

As shown earlier, everything in Daniel 8 had been interpreted by

Gabriel except for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Though no specific

explanation was given, a powerful hint is found in the chapter.

The

vision of Daniel 8:14 ends with the sanctuary being cleansed after

a depiction of the little-horn’s activity in a certain historical

period; after the depiction of the little horn (vss. 22-25), the expla-

nation ends with a specific event (vs. 25, final clause). What is that

event, and how does it help us come to some understanding about

what the cleansing of the sanctuary involves?

If we were to parallel the vision of Daniel 8 with its explanation, it

would look like this:

Vision Explanation

Ram Media-Persia

Goat Greece

Little horn Rome

Sanctuary cleansed Supernatural demise

of little horn

Whatever else the cleansing of the sanctuary involves, it results in

the supernatural destruction of this last earthly empire, which is what

happened in both Daniel 2 and 7, when God sets up His eternal king-

dom. Thus, the idea that limits the cleansing of the sanctuary to some

mere human event, such as the removing of enemies from the temple

precincts in the second century

B.C., falls apart. It’s obvious from the

context, especially when viewed in parallel to Daniel 2 and Daniel 7,

that this cleansing of the sanctuary is an event of major importance.

Indeed, the mere fact that it’s linked with the rise and fall of three of

what the Bible depicts as major world powers in and of itself testifies

to the importance of the cleansing of the sanctuary.

What things in your own life need to be cleansed? What’s the

only way that can happen?

THURSDAY

July 27

Judgment in Heaven

Below is a chart summarizing what we have looked at so far in the

past few weeks. What does this tell us that the cleansing of the sanc-

tuary is?

Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Daniel 8

Babylon Babylon ——————

Media-Persia Media-Persia Media-Persia

Greece Greece Greece

Pagan Rome Pagan Rome Pagan Rome

Papal Rome Papal Rome Papal Rome

—————— Judgment in heaven Cleansing of sanctuary

Second Coming Second Coming ——————

As we see all the way through here, there are parallels between the

chapters. And not only are the nations depicted in parallel to one

another, the judgment scene in Daniel 7—which transpires after a dis-

tinct time period regarding Rome (the 1,260 years)—directly parallels

the cleansing of the sanctuary, which in Daniel 8 occurs after Rome,

as well. In short, this heavenly judgment in Daniel 7—the judgment

that leads to the end of the world—is the same thing as the cleansing

of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. We are given here two different depic-

tions of the same thing: the judgment, also known as the cleansing of

the sanctuary in Daniel 8.

According

to this chart, where is this judgment, time wise, in

relationship to the Second Coming?

The crucial point is the parallel between this massive judgment

scene in Daniel 7 and the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. The

judgment scene in Daniel 7 is simply another way of expressing the

cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8, just as the depiction of the bear

in Daniel 7 is another way of expressing the ram in Daniel 8. Each

depiction adds to the other, elaborating on each other, together giving

us a lot of information about the specific event. What’s undeniably

clear is that it is a pre-Advent event; that is, this is a judgment that

occurs before the Second Coming. Indeed, it’s this judgment itself that

leads directly to the Second Coming.

What things in your life can be solved only by the second com-

ing of Jesus; what things can be solved here and now? Why is it

so important to kno

w the differ

ence betw

een the tw

FRIDAY

July 28

Further Study:

Look at the parallels here between Daniel 7 and 8,

this time with the approximate dates for the events depicted in the two

chapters:

Daniel 7 Daniel 8

Babylon _____________

(Ends early mid-sixth century B.C.)

Media-Persia Media-Persia

(From early mid-sixth century to early mid-fourth century

B.C.)

Greece Greece

(From early mid-fourth century to mid-second century

B.C.)

Pagan Rome Pagan Rome

(From mid-second century B.C. to fifth–sixth century A.D.)

Papal Rome Papal Rome

(Phase of depicted persecution: From sixth century

A.D. to eighteenth–

nineteenth century

A.D.)

Judgment in heaven Cleansing of sanctuary

Second Coming Destroyed without hands

What’s clear from the chart is that because the judgment in Daniel

7, which occurred after the 1,260 years, is the same as the cleansing

of the sanctuary in Daniel 8, then the cleansing of the sanctuary in

Daniel 8 occurred after the 1,260 years, as well. This fact, then, puts

the cleansing of the sanctuary sometime after the late eighteenth to

early nineteenth century, yet before the second coming of Christ.

Though these points help narrow down the time of the pre-Advent

judgment, they still don’t give us an exact date. More information is

needed; that’s why, as we’ll see, more information is given.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, go over the main points of this week’s lesson. Be

sure everyone understands the parallels between the chapters.

Try to answer whatever questions that arise as best as you are

able.

● The last verse of Daniel 8 teaches that certain aspects of the

vision were unknown to Daniel. What lesson is there for us

regarding the need to press on ahead in faith despite there being

things we don’t yet understand?

tor

INSIDE

The Raised Spear

J. H. Zachary

John Kiok is a Masai, a member of a semi-nomadic cattle-herding cul-

ture in eastern Africa. Several years ago when Kiok accepted Jesus as his

Savior, he dedicated his life to sharing his faith with other Masai. When a

small group of believers from the village of Nchoroi [n’CHO-roy] invited

him to come and teach in their village, Kiok went.

Each evening 200 people gathered to hear the message of Jesus.

However, the paramount chief of the region did not want a new religion in

his territory. One night during the meeting the chief angrily confronted the

pastor, waving his large spear menacingly over his head as he approached

the crowd of listeners who were seated on the ground. Most of the listen-

ers fled into the darkness when they saw the chief approaching. The chief,

still brandishing his spear over his head, stared at Kiok and demanded,

“Who are you and what are you telling my people?”

Kiok prayed for wisdom and protection, and then he calmly answered

the chief’s question. “I am a Masai. I am telling these people about the liv-

ing God, the God who made the mountains, the trees, your animals—even

you and your family.”

“You have just one chance,” the chief threatened. “Leave now. If you

preach one more time, I will kill you with my spear.”

“Sir,” Kiok said quietly, “the people have come every day this week to

hear about God. They want to know about the God who created them. I

still have a week of meetings, and I want to invite you to come to listen

and learn about this God too.”

“I promise you, I will kill you if you preach another night!” the chief

said. Then he turned and strode away.

The village elders told the chief that they had given Kiok permission to

speak to the people about God. They told him that many who were listen-

ing were changing their lives for the better. They urged the chief to go see

for himself.

The chief allowed the meetings to continue, and the chief saw the posi-

tive changes among his people. He listened to their testimonies of what

Jesus was doing in their lives. In time the angry chief asked Kiok to study

the Bible with him as well, and in time he and his family were baptized

into God’s family. Today the chief and his people worship in a small chapel

in their village.

Until his death, J. H. Zachary was coordinator for outreach among Jewish and Muslim

people in the North American Division.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*July 29–August 4

L ESSON

Daniel 9

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Dan. 9:1-23.

Memory Text:

“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity,

and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing

from thy precepts and from thy judgments” (Daniel 9:5).

efore continuing here, make sure you understand the charts

we’ve looked at the past few weeks. They form an immovable

foundation for where we are going next. The crucial point that

should be understood now is that the judgment scene in Daniel 7 and

the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8 are the same event and that

this event takes place sometime after the 1,260-year period that

depicted a phase of papal persecution of the saints.

Meanwhile, considering the time frame for this event, the late eight-

eenth or early nineteenth century, what’s the only possible sanctuary

that’s being cleansed here, the one on earth or the one in heaven

(see

Matt. 24:2; Luke 21:6; Heb. 8:1, 2)? The answer is obvious.

Finally, look at what the Lord has used to frame the important

teaching of the cleansing of the sanctuary—and that’s massive world

empires, things as immovable, unchangeable, and verifiable as are

possible in this world. The Lord isn’t asking us to base our faith on

sketchy, shadowy things; instead, He’s framing these great truths

around world history, as firm a foundation as possible. God, obvi-

ously, wants us to believe these truths; that’s why He makes it easy for

us to do just that.

This week we now move to Daniel 9, the final link in this amazing

sequence of prophec

y and histor

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 5.

SUNDAY

July 30

Unfinished Business

Read

Daniel 9:1. What major difference appears here in contrast to

the three previous chapters we have studied so far?

____________________________________________________________________

The answer, to some degree, also helps explain what we noticed

in Daniel 8: that unlike the previous two chapters, Babylon was not

depicted. Daniel began, instead, with Media-Persia. It seems that already,

in Daniel 8, the Lord was pointing toward the future, toward the next

kingdom that would arise, which was Media-Persia.

It’s also important to notice something about the previous chapters.

As we saw, Daniel 2 was a dream/vision and an explanation of that

dream/vision. Everything was explained.

In Daniel 7, the same thing: a dream/vision and an explanation of

everything that he was shown.

In Daniel 8, however, a difference arises: There was a dream/vision

and an explanation. However, as we saw, not everything was explained.

Review

Daniel 8. Again, what was the one thing not explained to

Daniel in chapter 8?

____________________________________________________________________

Unlike the sister visions that preceded it, Daniel 8 ends with Daniel

saying that he didn’t understand the “vision.” What vision? Obviously,

it was the part of the vision that dealt with the 2,300 evenings and

mornings of verse 14. After all, everything else was explained; in

some cases some of the powers depicted in Daniel 8 were even named

(vss. 20, 21). In none of the previous visions did Daniel come away

saying that he didn’t understand something, even though in some

cases the explanations weren’t as precise as in parts of Daniel 8. Only

in Daniel 8 does he say there was something that he didn’t understand,

and that’s obviously the “vision” of the 2,300 days, the only part of

the chapter not specificall

y explained.

Thus, we lea

ve Daniel 8 and enter Daniel 9, with only one thing not

clear to Daniel at this point: the vision of the 2,300 da

ys in Daniel 8:14.

A prophet not understanding everything given in a prophetic

dream or vision? Does this teach us an

ything that could help us

better understand the nature of Ellen G.White’s prophetic gift?

MONDAY

July 31

The Exile of the Jews

As we see, Daniel is now under the reign of the Medes and the

Persians, a direct fulfillment of the earlier prophecies of Daniel 2, 7,

and 8.

There is, however, a great problem for Daniel. His people are still

in captivity, the temple is still in ruins, and his nation has not been

restored.

Read

Daniel 9:2. What promise and prophecy is Daniel getting some

hope from?

Despite all the hopes of national greatness, the Jewish nation was

taken into captivity by a pagan power. From a logical perspective, it

should have been the end of the Jews, and Judah, forever. However,

the Lord wasn’t through with His people. Though the prophets

warned about judgment, doom, and destruction, they also gave the

Jews the great hope of redemption and restoration.

Read

Jeremiah 29:10-12. What hope do you believe Daniel derives

from this prophecy?

more evidence to make that link.

In Daniel 8:1, 2, Daniel three times makes reference to the “vision”

of the chapter; each time it comes from the same Hebrew word,

hazon: “In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision

[hazon] appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which

appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in a vision [hazon]; and it

came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which

is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision [hazon], and I was

by the river of Ulai” (Dan. 8:1, 2).

Daniel then describes what he sees in the hazon: the ram, the goat,

the little horn, and so forth. Hazon, therefore, refers to the general

vision of chapter 8.

In contrast, when he talks specifically about the 2,300 days, Daniel

uses a different word for vision, mareh. “And the vision [mareh] of

the evening and the morning which was told is true. . . . And I Daniel

fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the

king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision [mareh], but none

understood it” (Dan. 8:26, 27).

Thus, w

e have two words for “vision” in Daniel 8:

hazon for the

whole vision, mareh for Daniel 8:14, the vision about the 2,300 days

and the sanctuary being cleansed, the part that Daniel didn’t under-

stand (Dan. 8:27).

Now these two words appear again, in Daniel 9, when Gabriel

appears to Daniel. “Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the

man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision

[hazon] at the begin-

ning . . . touched me. . . . At the beginning of thy supplications the

commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art

greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the

vision

[mareh]” (Dan. 9:21-23).

Consider what mareh? There’s only one: the mareh of the 2,300 days

that Daniel specifically said he didn’t understand. In fact, the word

translated “consider” comes from bin, which also links this to the

mareh of Daniel 8:26, which Daniel needed understanding (bin)

about.

Clearly, the explanation of Daniel 9:24-27 is linked to the 2,300

days of the pre

vious chapter

. Gabriel came to give Daniel under-

standing about the

mareh of the 2,300 days!

Review the links between Daniel 8 and Daniel 9. Be able to

defend the position that these two chapters are indeed tied

together with each other.

FRIDAY

August 4

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 345–

347; Prophets and Kings, pp. 553–556.

Daniel 8 ends with the mareh of the 2,300 days not explained.

Gabriel, the same angel interpreter in Daniel 8, appears in Daniel 9

and tells him to understand the mareh. The only mareh Daniel didn’t

understand was the

mareh of 8:14 and 8:26, which was a time

prophecy. Then, immediately after telling him to understand the

mareh, a time prophecy, what does Gabriel give Daniel? Another time

prophecy.

No wonder Adventists see a powerful link between the two chap-

ters and two prophecies. We’re not alone either. The following quote

comes from an Orthodox Jewish commentary on the book of Daniel.

Below is the extract on the phrase “consider the

mareh” in Daniel

9:23, though this commentary translates it “gain understanding of the

vision.” What do these Jews do with the 70-week prophecy?

“This refers to Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 in which the part which

disturbed him so (v. 14) is characterized in vs. 16-26 as a mareh.”

—Daniel, Art Scroll Tanach Series (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah

Publications, Ltd., 1988), p. 258.

Thus, these Orthodox Jews do with the 70-week prophecy exactly

what we do: that is, they link it to the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, review the material studied this week. Make sure

that everyone understands the links between the two chapters.

● If you read Daniel’s prayer, you’ll notice that time and again

he prays in the first person plural, “we” have done this, “we”

have done that. Why do you think Daniel, who is depicted in

Scripture as such a faithful, holy character, includes himself as

one of those who brought this calamity upon his own people?

What message is there for us, as well?

tor

INSIDE

One Powerful God

Sarah Lovett

My family worshiped several gods, offering flowers and incense, then

praying to their pictures. But these gods did not hear our prayers.

My brother became possessed by a spirit and did many cruel and dread-

ful things. Everyone feared him. One day he burned my clothes and

books—everything I owned. When I discovered what he had done, he

struck me repeatedly with a hammer until I lost consciousness. After

spending weeks in the hospital, I went to live with my sister.

I yearned to find a god who could help my family. Then one day a man

stopped to give us a pamphlet and urge us to try Jesus, the living God who

can hear and answer our prayers. Hope burned in my heart that this Jesus

might be the true and all-powerful God.

Later an evangelist visited our village. I invited him to come to our

house to study the Bible. I invited our neighbors to hear what he said, and

soon I began worshiping with this evangelist’s followers. I went with the

believers to other villages to pray and preach.

After some time the evangelist asked me to marry him. We then contin-

ued to work together for God.

One day we met an Adventist pastor who shared his faith with us. What

he said and the Bible verses he read to us made so much sense that we

wondered why we had not realized these things before. We studied the

Bible with him and could not deny the truths we were learning.

Alfred and I were baptized, joined the Adventist Church and began

working as Global Mission pioneers. We returned to the people we had led

to Christ and shared our new light with them. Many have accepted these

truths and followed us in baptism. In just three

years some 250 people have joined us in the

Adventist Church.

Alfred works with the men, and I work with

the women. What a joy to work for the true,

the living, the all-powerful God!

Thank you for your mission offerings that

support lay evangelism around the world.

Sarah and Alfred Lovett (left) are Global Mission pio-

neers working near Nagpur, India.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

blank

Mission

blank

*August 5-11

L ESSON

70 Weeks

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Dan. 9:24-27; Ezra 4:7-

16; 7:6, 7, 11-17.

Memory Text:

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people

and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an

end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring

in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and

prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy”

(Daniel 9:24).

o far, these few points should be clear: The judgment in Daniel

7 and cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8 are the same event,

and it occurs after the 1,260 years.

Second, Daniel 8 ended with the vision of the 2,300 days not

explained. Daniel 9 picks up with the end of Daniel 8: Gabriel offers

Daniel the explanation he lacked in the previous chapter. Thus, Daniel

8 and Daniel 9 are one: a vision and a partial explanation (Daniel 8)

and then the rest of the explanation (Daniel 9).

This week we continue with Daniel 9, focusing on the amazing 70-

week prophecy, which provides powerful evidence not only for the

inspiration of Scripture but for the Messiahship of Jesus, “the

Messiah the Prince”

(Dan. 9:25), who—as the center of the prophecy,

forms the foundation for the 2,300-day prophecy, as well.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 12.

SUNDAY

August 6

70 Weeks

As we saw last week, the vision of Daniel 8:14 was a time prophecy,

the 2,300 days. Now, in Daniel 9, Gabriel returns and gives him

another time prophecy, this time of 70 weeks

(Dan. 9:24).

a little math. Which prophecy is longer, 2,300 days or 70 weeks?

We are presented with two time prophecies juxtaposed with each

other, the 2,300 days and the 70 weeks, the 70 weeks being the

smaller of the two.

70 weeks

_____________

2,300 days

________________________________________________

Read

the beginning of Daniel 9:24. How does Gabriel first introduce

the 70 weeks? What verb does he use?

Though various translations are used for the verb (root is chatchak),

such as “determined

,” or “decreed,” the basic meaning is that of “cut

off,” which is how most Hebrew lexicons define it (unfortunately, the

word doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Bible, so we can’t see how

it is used elsewhere in Scripture). In Ugaritic, a language similar to

Hebrew, scholars have noted that the parallel word in that language

for

chatchak means “cut off,” as well. Thus, the basic rendering of the

text is “70 weeks are cut off.”

Cut off from what? What else other than from another time

prophecy? What other time prophecy? Obviously, the

mareh, the 2,300

days of Daniel 8:14, the longer of the two prophecies.

Thus, we are given two time prophecies: 2,300 days and 70 weeks,

and the 70 weeks is to be “cut off ” from the 2,300 days.

Suppose you mention to a neighbor that you have five free

hours on Sunday. On Sunday the neighbor, after making a

direct reference to your five free hours, says that he needs some

help to paint a r

oom.

“It will take only an hour,” he adds.

What’s the immediate implication,

and ho

w does that help us

understand the link between the two time prophecies of Daniel

8:14 and 9:24?

MONDAY

August 7

The Messiah the Prince

Read

carefully and prayerfully Daniel 9:25. What two specific events

are directly related to the time element given there? Of those two

events, which comes at the beginning of that time element, and

which comes at the end?

____________________________________________________________________

Here, in this one verse, 69 of the 70 weeks are accounted for. The

prophecy begins with the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,

and 69 weeks later it ends with “the Messiah the Prince.” Thus, we

have two historical events to work with: the command to restore and

rebuild Jerusalem (which would have been of obvious import to

Daniel) and “the Messiah the Prince.”

When

you understand that the Hebrew word for “Messiah” is trans-

lated in Greek as “Christos,” or Christ, to whom then is this

prophecy referring to? See Matt. 1:1, 16; 16:16; Acts 3:13-15, 18;

5:30, 31.

____________________________________________________________________

Thus, we can see here a crucial point: This prophecy is centered on

Jesus. The first 69 weeks of the prophecy are used to bring us to

Jesus, “the Messiah the Prince.” We can say, then, that the prophecy

has its foundation in Christ Himself. To the degree, then, that we can

have confidence in the messiahship of Jesus, is the degree that we can

trust the prophecy itself.

What’s crucial to remember, too, is that Seventh-day Adventists

hardly are alone in seeing this as a prophecy of Christ. Christians of

many denominations have long understood this prophecy as being

one of the most po

erful evidences for the messiahship of Jesus

Christ. After all, we have Daniel, living 500 years before Christ, giv-

ing us a time prophec

y concer

ning Christ.

Review other Old Testament prophecies that point to Christ.

How should these strengthen your faith in Him and what He

has done for us? Put together a study on those prophecies to

share with an unbelieving neighbor or friend.

TUESDAY

August 8

The Decree

Daniel 9:25 begins with the command to restore and to rebuild

Jerusalem and ends with the Messiah, 69 weeks later. And though

people might disagree on exact dates, we know for sure that the com-

mand to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem was in the sixth or fifth cen-

tury

B.C. and that Jesus lived and died in the first century A.D.

Command to rebuild Jerusalem Jesus the Messiah

fifth–sixth century B.C. first century

____________________________________________________________________

69 weeks

What

immediate evidence do you see here for the day-year principle?

Why can the 69 weeks not be taken as literal time?

The crucial issue facing us now is, What is that starting date, the

date of the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem? Fortunately,

as long as we believe that the 69 weeks end with Jesus, we can nar-

row down the known decrees to only one, the one given in 457 B.C.,

which was the command by Artaxerxes in the seventh year of his reign

(see following daily sections).

Look

up these texts (Matt. 2:1, 19-22; 27:1, 2; Luke 2:1-7; 3:1-3; 23:1-7).

Notice all the historical figures tied in with events surrounding

Jesus; through these (and others) we can reconstruct the dates of

Christ’s life and ministry.

With this in mind, let’s look at some of the common dates used for

the decree in Daniel 9:25.

Take, for example, 538 B.C. Applying the day-year principle to the

69 weeks (483 years) would bring “the Messiah the Prince,” Jesus, to

B.C., an impossible date for Jesus.

The same with another common date, 520 B.C. That star

ting date

would bring Jesus to about 37

B.C., an impossible conclusion.

Finally, the only other common date is 444 B.C.

, w

hich, if used

would place the beginning of Jesus’ ministry about

A.D. 39 or 40 and

His death sometime in the earl

y A.D.

40s. And though that’s much

closer than the other two options, New Testament scholars know that

those dates don’

t w

ork for Jesus.

WEDNESDAY

August 9

“Building the Rebellious and Bad City”

Daniel 9 gives us a prophecy of “the Messiah the Prince,” who we

know is Jesus. Yet, it ties this important prophecy with a specific his-

torical date: the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem. Would

Scripture give us such an important prophecy without also providing

the key to understanding it? Obviously not.

Read

Ezra 4:7-16, which deals with events after the end of the

Babylonian exile of the Hebrew nation. As you read, ask yourself

these questions:

● To whom is the letter being addressed?

● What is the specific complaint against the Jews?

● According to the letter, who sent, or allowed, the Jews to return

to Jerusalem in order to do what they were doing?

Look at what’s happening. Sometime after the Jews returned to

Jerusalem, a group of Persian officers wrote to King Artaxerxes, com-

plaining about the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem. In the letter they stated

two important points: (1) that the city was being rebuilt

(Ezra 4:12)

and (2) that the Jews who were rebuilding had come there because of

the king. Said the letter, “Be it known unto the king, that the Jews

which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the

rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and

joined the foundations” (vs. 12, emphasis supplied). In other words,

the Jews who were rebuilding the city had come there because of King

Artaxerxes. He must have issued the decree that allowed them to

rebuild their city. The question is, What decree was that?

Despite rebellion and apostasy, God granted mercy and grace to

the Hebrew nation,

though from a human perspective all

seemed lost. What should this tell us about never giving up on

anyone, no matter how far he or she has fallen (including our-

selves)?

THURSDAY

August 10

457 B.C.

Yesterday we saw that the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem were

rebuilding it. We saw, too, that it was because of King Artaxerxes that

they had returned to the city. He must have been the one who issued

the decree “to restore and to build Jerusalem”

(Dan. 9:25), for that’s

exactly what they were doing.

Interestingly enough, the Bible mentions only one decree issued by

Artaxerxes that could fit these specifications, and that’s in the seventh

year of his reign, which can be dated firmly to 457 B.C.

Read

Ezra 7:6, 7, 11-17.What is going on here in this decree issued by

Artaxerxes in regard to what the Jews are doing in Jerusalem?

____________________________________________________________________

The book of Ezra is not in chronolo

gical order, so the events in

Ezra 4 came later than what was in chapter 7. And though nothing in

this decree specifically talks about rebuilding the city, it was obvi-

ously understood to entail that, because, according to what we read

yesterday, that’s exactly what the Jews were doing. Both they and their

enemies understood that the decree, issued by Artaxerxes in his sev-

enth year, by which the Jews “which came up from thee to us”

(Ezra

4:12), must have included the command “to restore and to build

Jerusalem.” This is even more obvious because nothing in their letter

expressed any idea that rebuilding of the city by the Jews was some-

how in contradiction with the decree of the king.

Thus, taken together, Ezra 4 and 7 make it clear that the decree,

dated in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes

(Ezra 7:7, 8) is

indeed the “commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” (Dan.

9:25).

This, too, can be fir

mly dated at 457

B.C. (and though some ar

gue

for 458, the difference entails only a six-month discrepancy).

Also, if one belie

ed that Jesus w

ere “the Messiah the Prince,” this

date would work perfectly. In other words, Jesus is our Surety in

regard to this prophecy.

Why should Jesus be our Surety in everything regarding our

faith?

FRIDAY

August 11

Further Study:

Look at this quote from a famous biography of

scientist Isaac Newton, a fervent student of the book of Daniel: “Who

cares whether Newton was correct in maintaining that the prophecy of

the seventy weeks in the Book of Daniel referred to the interval of 490

years after Ezra’s leading the Jews from Babylon back to Jerusalem

(457 BC) to the Crucifixion in AD 33/34?”—A. Rupert Hall, Isaac

Newton: Adventurer in Thought

(Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press, 1992), p. 372.

“It would seem, therefore, that the rebuilding activity of the city of

Jerusalem proper (Ezra 4:12) which occurred in the wake of these

favors, suggests that the royal consent was implied in this decree to

permit Judah to have a visible center from which the newly granted

civil and judicial privileges of the state could be administered.

Consequently, Artaxerxes’ ‘word’ or decree of 457 B.C. provides the

best commencement date for Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy and the

longer time span of the 2300 day-years (Dan 8–9)

.”—The Seventy

Weeks, Leviticus, and the Nature of Prophecy,

Frank B. Holbrook, edi-

tor (Washington, D.C.: Biblical Research Institute, 1986), p. 74.

See also LeRoy E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, for

scores of quotes from scholars, using the 457 B.C. starting date. For

why we choose 457 over 458, see Siegfried H. Horn and Lynn H.

Wood’s

The Chronology of Ezra 7.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, review everything that we’ve studied so far until

everyone in the class understands the material.

● Have people in the class talk about how this 70-week

prophecy, or any other prophecy, has made a significant impact

in their lives. What can we learn from what they say on how God

can use prophecy to reach us? How much of a role do you think

prophecy should play in our witnessing efforts? Is it possible to

put too much emphasis on prophecy?

tor

INSIDE

Blind, But He Can See

Tiago da Silva

Tiago had known since childhood that a genetic disorder would eventu-

ally rob him of his eyesight. But he refused to believe that day would

come. However, when he was 12 years old his vision began to cloud. He

could see colors and shapes but could not read letters. Within a few

months his eyesight was gone completely.

His mother had repeatedly urged him to study Braille in preparation for

his blindness, but he had resisted, feeling that somehow learning Braille

would hasten the day when he would not be able to see. But when his class-

mates grew tired of reading his lessons to him, he could put off learning

Braille no longer. Tiago fought discouragement and trusted in God to get

him through the difficult transition from a sighted world to a sightless one.

When his classmates ignored him or avoided him, he cried to God for help.

Tiago was especially thankful for a few close friends who never left him.

When Tiago was 15, a family who lived across the street invited his

mother to attend a stop-smoking clinic in the Adventist church. Tiago’s

mother smoked, and Tiago urged her to stop. She told Tiago that she would

go to the stop-smoking class if he went with her. Although they missed

some meetings, she was able to stop smoking.

The neighbors then invited Tiago and his mother to attend evangelistic

meetings that followed the stop-smoking seminar. Tiago knew nothing about

Adventists, but he decided to go. They took the Bible study lessons offered

at the meetings, and a teacher came to their house to correct them every day.

Tiago told his closest friend what he was learning at the evangelistic meet-

ings and invited her to attend with him. Although she hesitated at first, she

went, and afterward she enrolled in a Revelation seminar. After the meetings

ended, Tiago and his mother began attending the Adventist church. Tiago’s

father goes with them when he is not working.

Recently Tiago decided to accept Jesus. He

shares his testimony: “Young people have

many barriers; my barrier is my blindness. But

my faith is bringing me a new way of seeing

life. If young people would study the Bible

and accept the truths they find there, they

would have a new way of seeing things too.”

Our mission offerings help sponsor evan-

gelistic outreaches such as the one that

brought Tiago and his family to Jesus.

Tiago da Silva is a high school student living in

Curitiba, Br

azil.

Produced by the General Conf

erence Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*August 12-18

L ESSON

1844 Made Simple

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Lev. 7:27; 17:10; Luke 3:1-

22; Rom. 5:8; Gal. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:9, 10; 1 Pet. 2:24.

Memory Text:

“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in

twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and

the rocks rent”

(Matthew 27:51).

o far, we’ve seen that Daniel 8 ended with Daniel needing more

explanation about the 2,300 days. Daniel 9 provides that expla-

nation. Gabriel, the same angel interpreter in Daniel 8, points

him directly back to the mareh of Daniel 8, the only part of the vision

that he didn’t understand. Gabriel immediately gives him another

time prophecy, the 70 weeks, which is “cut off,” obviously from the

larger time prophecy of the 2,300 days.

Unlike the 2,300 days, which doesn’t mention a specific starting

point, Daniel 9 does have one: the “commandment to restore and

build Jerusalem,” which we saw last week was issued in 457

B.C.

Meanwhile, 69 of the 70 weeks of this prophecy reach to “the

Messiah the Prince,” Jesus. Thus, Jesus Himself forms the center of

this prophecy; He’s the foundation, the focal point of the 70 weeks. It

all rests on Jesus, “the chief corner stone”

(Eph. 2:20).

So far, then, the 70 weeks look like this:

70 weeks are “cut off”

457 B.C. 69 weeks 70th week

“Messiah the Prince”

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 19.

SUNDAY

August 13

Doing the Math

Last week we saw that the “commandment to restore and build

Jerusalem” occurred in the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes. That

is, it was issued not during the time of Babylon but after, in the next

kingdom of Media-Persia.

What

kingdom did the prophecy of Daniel 8 start with? How does

that answer provide another link between Daniel 8 and 9?

Daniel 9 gives us the exact starting point of the 70-week prophecy,

457 B.C. It then says that from that point, there will be 69 weeks until

“the Messiah the Prince.” Sixty-nine weeks comes to 483 days; apply-

ing, then, the day-year principle means that, from the command to

restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince, 483 years

would pass.

the math, counting 483 years from 457 B.C. What date do you get?

To get at the date, you need to subtract 457 from 483. That comes

to 26, which would mean A.D. 26. However, we are dealing with a cal-

ender here and not a straight number line, which goes like this: -2 -1

0 1 2 3. The calendar, of course, doesn’t have a slot for zero (there’s

no zero year). The calendar, instead, goes like this: -2, -1, 1, 2, or,

more specifically, 2 B.C., 1 B.C., A.D. 1, A.D. 2. Thus, with the zero year

missing on the calendar, 483 years would extend one more year on the

calendar, coming to A.D. 27 instead of 26.

Read

Luke 3:1-22. What major event is portrayed here, and how does

this help us understand the meaning of the prophecy of Daniel 9?

The prophecy doesn’t talk about the birth of Jesus; instead, it talks

about Him as the “Messiah,” the “Anointed,” the Christ; that is, Jesus

in His official capacity. Luke puts John’s ministry in the fifteenth year

of the reign of Tiberius, which can be dated to

A.D. 27. Seeing that

John baptized Jesus shortly after John’s own ministry began, we have

this incredible prophecy, given more than five hundred years earlier,

pointing to the ministry of Jesus.

What does the baptism of Jesus say to you about how closely

Christ relates to humanity? What hope does His close tie to us

offer us in our daily struggles?

MONDAY

August 14

Messiah Cut Off

So far, in our study of the 70-week prophecy (490 years), we’ve cov-

ered 69 weeks (or 483 of those 490 years). We’ve also looked at two dis-

tinct historical events that can be accurately dated. See the chart below:

Study

the above chart until the events depicted on it are clear to you.

Read Daniel 9:26. It says that after the 62 weeks the Messiah will

be “cut off ”; that’s the 62 weeks that come after the first 7 (see vs.

25), which means that after this 69th week (A.D. 27) the Messiah will

be cut off, but “not for himself.”

Look

up these following texts (Isa. 53:5; Rom. 5:8; Gal. 3:13; 1 Thess.

5:9, 10; 1 Pet. 2:24). How do they help us understand what this

prophecy is talking about?

____________________________________________________________________

Up until now, the prophecy covered the first 69 weeks. Verse 26

now introduces the last week, the final seven years of the prophecy—

and it does so with an image of Christ’s atoning death. Not only was

He “cut off ” (a different verb from that used in 9:24), but He was cut

off “not for himself,” giving the idea that His death was in behalf of

others. We see here the substitutionary aspect of Christ’s sacrifice:

His death wasn’t for Himself; it was for us.

It’s interesting, too, that the verb

(krt) used for “cut off ” is directly

linked with the Levitical sacrificial system, with those who violated

the covenant being “cut off ” from the people. (See Lev. 7:27; 17:10,

14; 20:6, 17.) In Daniel 9:26 we see an image of the innocent Jesus

being “cut off ” for the sins of others.

What does it mean that no matter what you have ever done, no

matter how bad you have been, the penalty for those actions has

been paid by the One w

ho w

“cut off

,” not for Himself—but

for you?

70 weeks (490 years)

457

.27

–––––– 7 0 th week ––––––

Command to restore 69th week ends

and to rebuild Jerusalem 483 years

(Baptism

of Jesus)

TUESDAY

August 15

In the Midst of the Week

Read

Daniel 9:27. Twice it talks about the “week.” What week is it

referring to?

So far, we know that the prophecy is talking about Jesus, and that

69th week brought us to His baptism in

A.D. 27. We saw, too, a direct

reference in verse 26 to His atoning death. After all, that was the rea-

son He came (Mark 10:45, John 3:14).

All that’s left of the 70-week prophecy is the final week, the 70th,

the last 7 years.

What

happens in the middle of the last week? What time period is it

talking about?

Though verse 26 talked about Jesus’ death somewhat directly, verse

27 talks about it in the sense of what it accomplished: the end of the

earthly sacrificial system, at least in the sense that they were of any

more value (after all, some people today still offer sacrifices). This

point was made clear in Mark 15:34-39, with the veil of the sanctu-

ary rent in half, signaling the end of the earthly sanctuary service as

a legitimate symbol of the ministry of Christ. The real sacrifice was,

finally, offered; the old system had to give way for a new and better

one. All that was equated with the old system—the sacrifice, the

priesthood, and the sanctuary—have been replaced

(see Heb. 9:1-15).

This occurred in the “midst of the week.” That would be three and

a half years (half of seven). Through counting Passovers in John, we

can show that it was three and a half years later, in the spring of A.D.

31, that Jesus was crucified. Thus, our chart now looks like this:

What a powerful prophecy for the messiahship of Jesus! Take

whatever time you need until you understand what this

prophecy is teaching. How is this amazing prophecy another

revelation of God’s love to us? How does it help strengthen your

faith?

70 weeks (490 years)

457 B.C. A.D.27 A.D.31

–––––– 7 0 th week ––––––

Command to restore 69th week ends (Death

and to rebuild Jerusalem 483 years of Christ)

(Baptism

of Jesus)

WEDNESDAY

August 16

The 70th Week

The last thing we need to look at in the 70-week prophecy is found

again in Daniel 9:27: “He shall confirm the covenant with many for

one week.” What week is that? Obviously, it’s the 70th week, the last

one in the prophecy. If we begin with 457

B.C., then 490 years later

bring the end of the 70-week prophecy to A.D. 34. Thus, the last week,

the 70th week, ends at that date.

Daniel 9:27

talks about the “covenant.” What covenant could

that be referring to? Exod. 19:5, 34:10, Lev. 26:45, 1 Kings 19:10,

Isa. 59:21, Jer. 50:5.

Thus, the 70-week prophecy talks about an affirmation of the

covenant that God made with Israel. He will “confirm the covenant

with many” during that specific period, obviously referring specifically

to the Jews who accepted Jesus at that time. Though the prophecy itself

doesn’t give a specific event for that last year, A.D. 34, many believe it

was the year that the apostle Paul accepted the gospel and became the

great preacher to the Gentiles

(Acts 9). In other words, Israel’s exclu-

sivity came to a close, and a new era in salvation history was inaugu-

rated at the end of the 490 years as the gospel went to all the world.

Review

the above chart until you understand it well enough to

explain it to others.

However fascinating the above prophecy, we must remember that

it’s just part of a larger prophecy, the 2,300 days. That is, this 70th

week was, as we saw, “cut off ” from the larger mareh of Daniel 8.

Thus, we have here two time prophecies, the 2,300 days, which didn’t

have a specified starting point, and the 70 weeks, which did. We have,

therefore, the following two time periods:

70 w

eeks

457 B.C.

(490 y

ears)

A.D.

2,300 da

ys (2,300 y

ear

70 weeks (490 years)

457

.27

.31

. 34

–––––– 7 0 th week ––––––

Command to restore 69th week ends (Death Gospel to

and to rebuild Jerusalem 483 years of Christ) Gentiles

(Baptism

of Jesus)

THURSDAY

August 17

1844 Made Simple

As we’ve seen, the grounding of the 70-week prophecy is in Jesus,

and because the 70-week prophecy is just part of the 2,300-day

prophecy, that prophecy is grounded in Jesus, as well. The next step is

obvious. The 70 weeks, which have a definite starting point, are “cut

off ” from the 2,300 days (see tomorrow on why it has to be “cut off ”

at the beginning as opposed to the end of the 2,300 days).

70 weeks

457 B.C. (490 years) A.D. 34

2,300 days (2,300 years)

the math. If you use the 70 weeks as the starting point of the 2,300

years, what date do you come to?

If you count 2,300 years from 457 B.C. (remembering to delete the

nonexistent zero year), you get 1844; or, if you count the remaining

1810 years from A.D. 34 (2,300 minus the first 490 years), you come

to 1844, as well. Thus, the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14

can be shown to start in 1844.

2,300 days (2,300 years)

490 years 1,810 years

457 B.C. A.D. 34 1844

back to week 5, Friday’s study. We saw from the parallels between

Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 that the cleansing of the sanctuary (the

same event as the judgment scene in Daniel 7) had to occur after

the 1,260-year period in Daniel 7 and yet before the Second

Coming. How does the calculation done today fit in with that

study?

What’s so crucial, too, about the 2,300-day prophecy is that, being

undeniably linked to the 70-week prophecy, it is inseparably tied in

with Jesus. Again, one can’t tamper with those dates in any substan-

tial way without tampering with the dates of Jesus. Jesus Himself is

the Surety of this prophecy. Obviously, then, the Lord deemed the

2,300-day prophecy important enough to, in a very real sense, base it

on Jesus, on the greatest and most precise prophecy concerning His

earthly mission, the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9.

Review what we’ve studied this week. Be prepared to talk about

it in class on Sa

bath.

FRIDAY

August 18

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 409–432.

However clear it is that the 70 weeks are cut off from the 2,300 days,

why do we cut them off from the beginning and not the end? The

answer is because that’s the only way it works logically. If we cut the

70 weeks off at the end, the 2,300 days would terminate in A.D. 34, an

impossible conclusion, given the context of Daniel 8, which—paral-

lel to Daniel 7—links the 2,300 days to the time of the end, and that

hardly happened in A.D. 34. Plus, too, if you cut them off from the end,

the beginning of the prophecy would start about sixteen hundred years

before Babylon, the first kingdom depicted in these prophecies. In

other words, cutting them off from the end doesn’t work at all, given

the context in which they appear. Meanwhile, cutting them off at the

beginning places the start of the prophecy in the reign of Media-Persia,

which fits the context of the vision (Daniel 8 began with Media-Persia)

and places their end after the 1,260 years yet before the Second

Coming, which also fits perfectly with the context of the vision.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, go over what has been studied in the past few

weeks. Make sure, as much as possible, that everyone under-

stands what has been covered.

● Why does the date 1844 for Daniel 8:14 show why the sanctu-

ary being cleansed is the heavenly one, not the earthly?

● Why do you think is it important for us, as Adventists, to

understand this prophecy, considering that the event depicted in

it, the cleansing of the sanctuary, occurred so long ago? What

does it mean to us as a church today?

● As a class, talk about the implications of the phrase, he was

“cut off but not for himself.” What hope does that offer to us?

For whom was He cut off, why, and what does that mean? Talk

about this too: The 70-week prophecy, a prophecy of the gospel,

is linked with the 2,300-day prophecy. What does that tell us

about why the gospel should form the foundation of our under-

standing of the meaning of the 2,300-day prophecy?

tor

INSIDE

The Empty Pantry

Charlotte Ishkanian

Worry lines etched Alberto’s forehead. He had a family to feed, but he

had no money. He was a brick maker, but no one was buying bricks. And

those who had ordered bricks had not paid him. One day Alberto’s wife

told him that they would eat the last of their rice that evening. All day

Alberto prayed that God would send buyers for bricks, but no one came.

At dinner the family ate their rice and then asked God to provide food for

the next day.

The next morning the family again prayed for food. Alberto decided to

ride his bike 12 miles to ask his brother for a loan. Just over a mile from

home, Alberto saw some money lying in the road. He stopped and looked

around. No one seemed to be looking for it, so he picked it up. It was a

50,000 meticais bill (about US$2.00). Rejoicing, he started back home.

On the way he saw another 50,000 meticais bill on the ground.

His wife was surprised when he returned so soon and even more sur-

prised when he gave her the 100,000

meticais. “Did God send you a cus-

tomer?” she asked.

“No, God sent us the money. I found it lying on the road.” The couple

called the children, and they thanked God for this gift. Alberto’s wife set

aside a tenth for God’s tithe. Then she went to the market to buy corn, the

cheapest grain available. She pounded it into flour and made porridge for

dinner.

On Sabbath the family took their tithe to church. During a testimony

time, Alberto shared what God had done for his family, and the church

rejoiced over God’s providence.

The following week some people who owed

Alberto money for bricks came to pay their

debts. With that money the family was able to

buy the food and necessities they needed.

Alberto and his family love to tell others

how God cared for them. Our mission offer-

ings help spread the news that there is a God

who cares.

Alberto Mutenga (left) and his family live in Chimoio,

Mozambique. Char

lotte Ishkanian is editor of

Mission.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*August 19-25

L ESSON

Day-Year Principle

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Exod. 34:22; Lev. 12:5;

Num. 14:34; Deut. 16:10; Ezek. 4:5, 6; Dan. 8:17, 19, 26; 10:2, 3.

Memory Text:

“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie

again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the

house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a

year” (Ezekiel 4:6).

s we saw, the parallel between Daniel 2, 7, and 8 shows how

the judgment in Daniel 7, which leads to the second coming

of Christ, is the same event as the cleansing of the sanctuary

(obviously, the heavenly one) in Daniel 8:14. Also this event occurs

sometime after the 1,260-year period of persecution (late eighteenth

to early nineteenth century) yet before the Second Coming.

We saw, too, that the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8 was the only

part of the vision not explained and that Gabriel came to Daniel in

chapter 9 with that explanation, the 70-week prophecy, which was

“cut off ” from 2,300 days. This 70-week prophecy, rooted in Jesus,

formed the basis for the 2,300-day prophecy; it also provided the

starting date for the 2,300 days, which brought that prophecy to 1844,

a date that fits perfectly with what we were shown in Daniel 7 and 8.

Thus, we have the essence of the 1844 prophecy, firmly rooted not

only in massive world historical empires but in the cross.

For the next few weeks we’ll look more closely at some of the top-

ics we only touched on regarding 1844; as we do, we’ll seek to answer

the most obvious questions that could arise as we study this prophecy

so crucial to Seventh-day Adventists.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 26.

SUNDAY

August 20

Prophetic Time

Over the past few weeks, we looked at three time prophecies: the

“time, times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25); the “two thou-

sand and three hundred days”

(Dan. 8:14); and the “seventy weeks”

(Dan. 9:24). We have worked on the premise that these were not to be

taken as literal time but as prophetic time and that in each of these

cases the days were to be interpreted as years.

Thus we were dealing with periods of hundreds, even thousands, of

years rather than just periods of a few years if they were understood

as literal time.

The question is, What justification do we have in making this

assumption that these were not literal but prophetic times and that we

should use the day-year principle while interpreting them?

Daniel 8:17, 19, 26, Daniel is told in one way or another that the

prophetic vision he was given was for the “end.” In fact, he was

specifically told that the vision concerning “the evening and the

morning” (the 2,300 days) would be “for many days” (Dan. 8:26).

Why do these facts help prove that the time prophecy in Daniel 8

isn’t literal?

Read

Daniel 7:24-27. The little-horn power, which arises from pagan

Rome (a power that ended more than fifteen hundred years ago),

will exist until the end of the final judgment that brings the end

of the world. What evidence do we have here that the time

prophecy in verse 25 should not be taken literally, as well?

Clearly within both Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 themselves, given the

context in which they operate (massive world empires that, beginning

in antiquity and culminating in the end of the world, cover thousands

of years of history), it hardly makes sense that the major time proph-

ecies in them would be literal; that is, in the case of Daniel 7 cover-

ing only three and a half years and in Daniel 8 about six years and

three months (or 2,300 literal days). These time frames hardly do jus-

tice to the magnitude of the events depicted in the visions.

Once, though, the day-year principle is applied, the time prophecies

make more sense, fitting in much better with the scale of events in

which they are depicted.

What evidence do you see that we are living in “the end” that

Daniel talked about? How should this realization impact how

we live? What in our lives, if anything, reveals that we truly

believe we ar

e li

ving in the

“end”?

MONDAY

August 21

Daniel 9 and Prophetic Time

Review

the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. What internal evi-

dence do we have that this can’t be taken as literal time?

____________________________________________________________________

As we saw in an earlier lesson, regardless of the dates one used for

the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem and for the ministry

of Jesus, there were clearly more than seventy literal weeks between

the two events. Taken literally, the prophecy becomes meaningless.

How interesting, however, that if the day-year principle is applied, the

prophecy works perfectly, bringing us right to Jesus. Thus, in a real

sense, the ministry of Jesus, as revealed in Daniel 9, proves the valid-

ity of the day-year principle.

Some people, however, argue that the word for “weeks” in Daniel

9:24 means “weeks of years,” thus each of those weeks are seven years.

Therefore, we have 70 “weeks of years,” which comes to 490 years.

The only problem, however, is that the word translated “weeks” in

Daniel 9:24 never appears anywhere else in the Bible other than as

“weeks.” It never means “weeks of years.”

Look

up Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 12:5; Deuteronomy 16:10; and

Daniel 10:2, 3, a few places in the Bible where that basic word

translated “weeks” appears. What evidence within the texts them-

selves shows that a week, or weeks, was meant, as opposed to

“weeks of years”?

____________________________________________________________________

In Daniel 10:2, 3 the same word appears as in Daniel 9:24, and it

obviously doesn’t mean “weeks of years.” (Daniel fasted 3 weeks of

years, or 21 years?) Also, even if one accepted the error that the word

in Daniel 9:24 means “w

eeks of years,” a week of years is still seven

years, the same number of years as if you used the day-year principle.

Thus, the day-year principle is so ing

rained in the prophecy that a schol-

arly concoction devised to get rid of the principle only affirms it instead!

Notice how long the time periods we’re dealing with are: 490

years, 1,260 years, 2,300 years. How should these long time peri-

ods help us under

stand w

hat

patience means and ho

w w

e need to

trust God when things don’t happen as quickly as we would like?

TUESDAY

August 22

Seventy Weeks and 2,300 Days

As we’ve seen, the 70-week prophecy makes no sense if taken lit-

erally. Once the day-year principle is applied, it brings us right to

Jesus. Thus, the prophecy itself demands the day-year principle.

Daniel 9:24-27

demands the day-year principle. Now, because

this prophecy was “cut off” from the 2,300-day prophecy, what

does that tell us about the day-year principle and the 2,300 days?

____________________________________________________________________

The 70-week prophecy comes to 490 years. The 2,300 days, if lit-

eral, come to a little more than six years. Could 490 years be “cut off ”

from a little more than six years? Of course not. From 2,300 years?

Of course. Hence here’s more evidence that the day-year principle

must be applied to the 2,300-day prophecy, as well. It makes no sense

to apply the principle to the 70 weeks, which is only part of the 2,300

days, and not apply it to the 2,300 days, as well.

No wonder Adventists haven’t been the only ones to use the day-

year principle for the 2,300 days. One of the greatest Jewish scholars,

Rashi (

A.D. 1040–1105), translated Daniel 8:14 as, “And he said

unto me, Unto 2,300 years . . .” Not only is this idea not an Adventist

innovation, it has been used by other scholars on these same proph-

ecies long before us.

Look

up Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:5, 6. Though in and of them-

selves not proving the day-year principle, what evidence do they

give for it?

____________________________________________________________________

Look

up these texts, all found early in the Bible (Gen. 5:14, 5:23, 9:29).

What link do they show between days and years in the Bible?

____________________________________________________________________

As we look at all these time prophecies, great prophetic periods

that have all come and gone, what should this tell us about how

we use the fe

w pr

ecious moments allotted to us in life?

What

changes might you need to make in your own use of time?

WEDNESDAY

August 23

More Proof

Read the question in Daniel 8:13 again. When you do, you realize

that the word concerning does not appear in the Hebrew, nor does

Hebrew grammar allow for it. Thus, the question isn’t just about the

activity of the little horn. Instead, the question is about everything

depicted in the chapter, which includes the vision about the ram and

the goat (Media-Persia and Greece), as well as the activity of the little

horn (pagan and papal Rome). A literal translation would read, “How

long the vision, the daily, and the transgression of desolation to give

the sanctuary and the host a trampling.” In other words, the question

lists everything that happened in the vision. In fact, the word for

“vision” in verse 13 is

hazon, which, as we saw earlier, deals with the

ram and the goat and the little horn; that is, Media-Persia, Greece, and

Rome.

The question, then, could be paraphrased like this, How long will

all these things, from the rise of Media-Persia, the rise of Greece, and

finally to Rome’s attack on Christ’s heavenly ministry, be allowed to

go on?

Read

the literal translation of the text given above. Why does this

show that the 2,300 days cannot be taken as literal time? If literal,

w could it cover all the events depicted in the question?

____________________________________________________________________

The point should be obvious: The 2,300 days must cover all the

events depicted in the vision of Daniel 8; that is, Media-Persia,

Greece, Rome, and the sanctuary cleansed. A literal 2,300-day period

of time does not even begin to cover one of those kingdoms, much

less all. On the other hand, with the day-year principle, the problem is

instantly solved. Twenty-three hundred years, rather than a little more

than six, cover the events in question.

If you read again the question in Daniel 8, it deals with long

periods of history that inv

olve persecution, apostasy, suffering,

all within a long time frame

(see vss. 23-25). In the end, though,

what happens?

And not onl

y are we told what happens, through

these prophecies we are told when they will happen. Why should

these texts give us the hope that regardless of present circum-

stances, God will end it all and bring all things to His glory?

How should this realization give you strength and courage to

remain faithful regardless of your circumstances?

THURSDAY

August 24

Day-Year Principle

Skim

over the vision and the interpretation in Daniel 7. Why do all

those symbols help us understand why the time element in the

vision should be symbolic, as well?

____________________________________________________________________

Daniel 7 is a chapter filled with all sorts of symbols, or images, that

are not to be taken literally. Thus, why should we take the prophetic

time given in it as literal, when almost everything else is symbolic?

Read

Daniel 8. In the same vein as the last question, what evidence

do we have that the time period here should be viewed as sym-

bolic, not literal, as well?

____________________________________________________________________

Daniel 8 is no more about flying goats (vs. 5) than Daniel 7 was

about beasts with iron teeth (vs. 7). Instead, these were symbolic; in

the same way, the time periods given were symbolic, as well.

In fact, of the three time periods we’ve been looking at—the “time,

times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25); the “two thousand and

three hundred days” (Dan. 8:14); and the “seventy weeks” (Dan.

9:24)—none is written in the common way that time is expressed. For

example, instead of saying 2,300 days, why didn’t Gabriel say that the

sanctuary would be cleansed in “six years, three months, and twenty

days”? In 2 Samuel 5:5, the text says that the king “reigned over

Judah seven years and six months” as opposed to 2,700 days. It’s the

same with the two other time prophecies: None is expressed in the

common way that time is expressed.

Read

Luke 4:25 and James 5:17. Compare them with Daniel 7:25.

Which ones were dealing with literal time, and how was that literal

time expressed in contrast with the one expressing prophetic time?

____________________________________________________________________

Given what we’ve studied, why is the day-year principle so

important to us as

Adventists? What would happen to our

whole prophetic foundation were this principle thrown out?

FRIDAY

August 25

Further Study:

Scholars also have shown evidence for the link

between days and years in Hebrew poetry, where days are used in par-

allel to years, showing a semantic link between the two time periods:

“Are thy days as the days of man?

Are thy years as man’s days.” —Job 10:5

“Days should speak, and multitude of years

should teach wisdom.” —Job 32:7

“I have considered the

days of old, the

years of ancient times.”—Psalm 77:5

In each of these cases, days and years were saying basically the

same thing; that is, they were different words used to convey the same

idea. Though these parallels don’t prove, in and of themselves, the

day-year principle, they do show that in the Hebrew mind, days and

years were linked.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, go over this week’s lesson until everyone is

grounded in the validity of the day-year principle.

● As a class, answer this question: Why does the Bible employ so

many symbols? What might be the reason for the use of symbols?

● What other evidence can one find in the Bible for the day-year

principle?

● Think about this: We have been here almost two thousand

years since the death of Christ. How do these time prophecies, as

understood through the day-year principle, help us realize that

we are indeed living near the end and that we shouldn’t expect

another two thousand years to pass before Christ returns? That

is, how do these prophecies help us understand where we are in

the history of the world and why we should know that Christ’s

coming is near?

tor

INSIDE

Jeofelo’s Change of Plans

Jeane Zachary

Jeofelo was determined to lead a better life than his parents. They had

worked hard to feed their five children, and life in the Philippines was dif-

ficult for them. Jeofelo studied hard and did well in school. While in high

school he joined a Christian youth group. A visiting church leader noticed

his energy and alertness and invited him to participate in church services

and to consider training to become a clergy.

Jeofelo accepted the invitation and enrolled in a seminary. When he

finally graduated, he basked in the pride of his family. Over the next four

years he served several congregations.

One day he visited an optometrist to get a new pair of glasses. The

young optometrist impressed him with her kindness. He wanted to get to

know her better.

Jeofelo learned that the young optometrist was a Seventh-day Adventist

Christian, but he did not care. He was determined to marry her. Finally she

accepted, provided she would be free to retain her faith. The couple agreed

that they each would retain their beliefs; their children would worship with

their mother.

A friend gave Jeofelo a book called From Sabbath to Sunday. But he

was determined not to read it.

One day while riding his motorcycle, he collided with a farm vehicle

and was seriously injured. He spent weeks in the hospital and two months

at home. While recovering, he saw the book lying on a shelf. With little

else to do, he began reading it. He was impressed with the careful schol-

arship and began to check each point with the Bible. Finally he had to

admit that Saturday was truly the Sabbath of the Lord. But he refused to

follow what he had learned. He had worked too long and too hard to earn

his clergy title.

Within the next two years Jeofelo wrecked two more vehicles. After the

third accident he concluded that God was protecting him for a reason. He

picked up his Bible and let it fall open. His eyes fell on Matthew 16:26:

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits

his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (NIV).

Convinced that God was speaking to him, he asked his wife to call her

pastor and invite him to study with him. Within a few months he gave up

his title and accepted his position as a child of God.

Jeofelo is studying to become a Bible teacher; Jeanne Zachary lives in California.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*August 26–September 1

L ESSON

Rome and Antiochus

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Isa. 55:11; Matt. 13:10-

13; Luke 2:1; Luke 21:20, 21; John 11:48; John 16:12; 2 Pet. 1:19.

Memory Text:

“And it came to pass in those days, that there

went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should

be taxed”

(Luke 2:1).

he subject of the sanctuary was the key that unlocked the mys-

tery of the disappointment of 1844. It opened to view a complete

system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that God’s

hand had directed the great advent movement and revealing present

duty as it brought to light the position and work of His people. As the

disciples of Jesus after the terrible night of their anguish and disap-

pointment were ‘glad when they saw the Lord,’ so did those now

rejoice who had looked in faith for His second coming.”—Ellen G.

White,

The Great Controversy, p. 423.

Indeed, the 1844 pre-Advent judgment is a crucial doctrine of the

Adventist Church; not only does it explain the disappointment of 1844,

it helps us understand who we are today and why we exist as a move-

ment. With so much at stake, our enemy is constantly at work to under-

mine us, and if he can undo our belief in 1844, he will greatly succeed.

Thus, it is impor

tant that we as Adventists be firmly rooted in this

teaching, as well as be prepared to answer challenges against it.

This week we’ll continue to look at more Bible texts that will help

solidify us in our understanding of this key teaching, which, when

properly understood, reveals to us in grander light the wonderful sav-

ing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in view of what He has done for us

at the Cross and is doing for us now in heaven.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 2.

SUNDAY

August 27

Rome in the New Testament

So far, we’ve been dealing with a span of empires, beginning with

Babylon and ending with God’s kingdom. We noticed that of the five

kingdoms revealed, four were named. The only one not named was

Rome, both in its pagan and papal stages, even though in most of the

prophecies more time was spent describing Rome than any other

kingdom.

Though Rome itself might not have been mentioned by name in the

Old Testament, its existence and power dominated the New. The

Gospels, the book of Acts, and the Epistles all unfold in a Roman

environment. Daniel mentions by name Babylon, Media-Persia,

Greece, and God’s final kingdom, while the New Testament openly

names Rome, the power that arises after Greece and dominates the

world during the time of Christ and afterward.

Look

up these texts (Matt. 22:17, Luke 2:1, Luke 3:1, John 11:48, Acts

25:21). Which empire is clearly depicted as the dominant power?

Notice in Luke 2:1 that “all the world” should be taxed. Only a

world power could tax all the world. How interesting, too, that Daniel

7:23 says that the fourth beast will “devour the whole earth”; that is,

the fourth beast is obviously a world empire, such as Rome.

Read

Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20, 21. What event is Jesus talk-

ing about here?

In the context of the destruction of Jerusalem, by the Romans, Jesus

linked the Roman Empire to the book of Daniel. Jesus, therefore, not

only points to Rome but places it within Daniel itself. Phrasing linked

to “the abomination of desolation” spoken of by Jesus, in reference to

Daniel, occurs three times in Daniel

(Dan. 9:27, 11:31, 12:11). Thus,

Jesus links the Roman Empire to Daniel, making it even more obvi-

ous that Rome is that great power that arises in Daniel 2, 7, and 8,

after Greece and extends to “the end.”

Though Daniel doesn’t name Rome, the New Testament does. Thus,

following the Protestant formula of the Bible being its own inter-

preter, we find all four empires depicted in Daniel named in the Bible.

Look at how clear and unambiguous these prophecies are. How

could the Lord have made it any easier for us to believe? And

yet, we so often struggle with faith.

y is that so,

and what

things can you do on a daily basis to help keep away doubt?

MONDAY

August 28

The Two Little Horns

In both Daniel 7 and Daniel 8, a little-horn power figures promi-

nently. A comparison of their characteristics not only shows that they

are the same power but helps fortify our position on just what that

power is. A lot of information is given about these little horns, more

details about them than any of the other major kingdoms depicted.

This should tell us two things: (1) These little horns obviously sym-

bolize an important power in the prophetic history of the world, and (2)

the Lord wants us to know for sure just what power these represent.

Below

we will look at similarities between the two little horns. As

you study these characteristics and similarities, think about how

these characteristics help affirm us in our interpretation of this

power:

1. Both are depicted by the same symbol, a horn (Daniel 7:8, 20;

8:9).

2. Both are persecuting powers (Dan. 7:21, 25; 8:10, 24).

3. Both are self-exalting and blasphemous (Dan. 7:8, 20, 25;

8:10, 11, 25).

4. Both target God’s people (Dan. 7:25, 8:24).

5. Both have aspects of their activity delineated by prophetic

time

(Dan. 7:25; 8:13, 14).

6. Both extend until the time of the end (Dan. 7:25, 26; 8:17, 19).

7. Both will be supernaturally destroyed (Dan. 7:11, 26; 8:25).

When you have two powers represented by the same prophetic sym-

bol and who carry out the same basic actions in the same time slot in

the flow of visions, it seems more than obvious that we are talking

about the same power. Also, considering the descriptions of this

pow

er, the burden of proof lies heavily on those who interpret this

power as anything other than Rome.

What Bible prophecies have been especially helpful in estab-

lishing your faith? Why not review them again? The more you

go through them, the more they will encourage you. Why not

share them with someone w

ho might need some encouragement

now?

TUESDAY

August 29

The Rome Factor

However obvious the identification of that final earthly power, the

question arises, Why wasn’t it named? How much easier it would be

and how much futile and false speculation would have been saved had

it simply been named as were Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and

God’s final kingdom. As mentioned earlier (see lesson 3), some claim

that Rome wasn’t named because Daniel simply recounted history

that already happened as opposed to predicting it before it unfolded.

In other words, the accounts of the lions’ den, the fiery furnace, and

the dreams and visions were fables. As we’ve already seen, that’s a

false and bankrupt idea.

Read

the following texts (Dan. 12:4, 9; Matt. 13:10-13; Luke 10:24;

John 16:12; 2 Pet. 1:19). What idea is conveyed here about the tim-

ing in which the Lord reveals certain truths to His people?

__________________________________________________________________

As the above texts show, God doesn’t reveal all truth to all people at

once. Light is often given in a progressive manner; more and more

truth unfolds in accordance with God’s perfect timetable.

Maybe, then, Rome isn’t directly named not because Daniel wasn’t

able to tell the future but because the Lord knew that Rome would be

in sole control of the Scriptures for centuries and that had the leaders

in Rome seen the empire distinctly named, particularly in such a bad

light, they could have destroyed the Scriptures or the book of Daniel.

As it was, not sure what it was talking about, they could give the text

identities other than itself. Meanwhile, the Lord kept that identity hid-

den, knowing that He would at the right time raise up people, the

Protestant Reformers, who would discover the true identity of the

little-horn power. (Daniel does say that his words would be “closed up

and sealed till the time of the end”

[Dan. 12:9].) Many of the

Reformers did, indeed, see Rome in that role!

In fact, Jews who lived during the time of the Roman Empire would

often interpret these same prophecies lik

e this: Babylon, Media-Persia,

Greece, and—Edom. Why Edom? Because, afraid of the Romans, the

Jews hid the inter

pretation, something that the Lord in His di

vine prov-

idence and foresight did hundreds of years earlier in Daniel itself.

What lessons can w

e learn here about how we need to deal deli-

cately with people? In our zeal to be honest, how can we also be

prudent and not sa

y things,

though perhaps true, that others

might not yet be r

ead

y to hear?

WEDNESDAY

August 30

The Date of Daniel

“In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision

appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which

appeared unto me at the first” (Dan. 8:1).

According

to the above text, at what time in history did the

prophet Daniel live?

__________________________________________________________________

As we’ve seen, the prophecies in Daniel provide powerful evidence

not only for the existence of God but for the validity of the Scriptures

as God’s Word. Thus, from the earliest days of the Christian church,

opponents have sought to undermine, even destroy, confidence in the

Scriptures, especially the prophecies. As we said earlier, one attempt

was to claim that Daniel was not written in the time frame in which it

places itself but many centuries later, a position we as Seventh-day

Adventists emphatically reject. Unfortunately, we are among a small

number of Christians who do so.

Read

the following texts: Daniel 1:1, 2:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1. In what time

frame does the book of Daniel date itself? What conclusion can one

draw about the position of those who, despite this clear testimony,

nevertheless insist that the book of Daniel was written many cen-

turies later?

See also Isa. 55:11, Mark 15:28, John 17:17, Acts 1:16.

__________________________________________________________________

Directly tied with this attempt to date the book of Daniel centuries

after it dates itself is the attempt to link the identity of the little horn

in Daniel 8 with an ancient Greek ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes.

Most students today accept this interpretation; almost any modern

commentary will use that interpretation. As we’ll see, it cannot pos-

sibly be correct. Many who accept this interpretation do so not realiz-

ing the rationale behind it, which is that Daniel was not written when

it says it was b

ut much later

. Either w

y, because this view is preva-

lent, we need to look at it.

What are other w

ays in which our faith in the Scriptures can be

undermined, either overtly or subtly? More important, what steps

can you take to defend yourself against anything that can, bit by

bit, weaken your trust in the veracity and inspiration of the Bible?

THURSDAY

August 31

Antiochus

Read

Daniel 8:5-8, the vision of the he-goat, and then Daniel 8:21, 22,

Gabriel’s interpretation of the he-goat. According to the

prophecy, what was the fate of the he-goat?

History bears testimony to the amazing accuracy of this prophecy.

The he-goat, of course, was ancient Greece, and after the death of

Alexander the Great, the empire split apart, for a time, into “four king-

doms” (Dan. 8:22) under four generals. One of the kingdoms was the

Selecuid, which lasted from about 301 B.C. until about 146 B.C. Among

these kings, one was named Antiochus Epiphanes. He was the eighth

Selecuid king (175–164 B.C.); twenty more followed after him. Through

the conquests of his predecessors, he, for a short while attained control

of Judea, defiled the temple in Jerusalem for about three years, and per-

secuted the Jews. He died, apparently from natural causes, in a later

campaign (164 B.C.) after being driven out of Jerusalem. He is the one

who most interpreters believe is the little horn.

1. The Medo-Persian ram became “great” (vs. 4); the Grecian

goat “very great” (vs. 8); the little horn became “exceeding great”

(vs. 9). How does this description and comparison of empires

automatically disqualify Antiochus as the little horn?

2.According to Daniel 8:17, 19, 26, the prophecy dealt with end-

time things, and the little horn was the last power presented in the

vision. Because he died in 164

B.C., why can Antiochus not be the

little horn?

3. According to Daniel 8:25, the little horn would be “broken

without hand,” a phrase we saw earlier that—through parallelism

with Daniel 2:34, 45—depicted a supernatural, cataclysmic

destruction. Why, given what’s written above about his demise,

does Antiochus not fit again?

Despite the evidence (and there’s more) against Antiochus,

Adventists are almost alone in the Christian world in our posi-

tion opposed to that interpretation. What does this tell us about

our need to stand firm in our beliefs, despite a majority of

voices against our position? In what other ways do you have to

stand firm for a position that is not popular?

FRIDAY

September 1

Further Study:

Another attempt to make the impossible fit of

Antiochus centers around the argument concerning the origin of the

little horn in Daniel 8:8, 9. “Therefore the he goat waxed very great:

and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came

up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one

of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward

the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” Arguing

for Antiochus, some say that the little horn arose from one of the “four

notable ones,” meaning the nations that arose after the death of

Alexander the Great. That would be, they claim, Antiochus, not

Rome.

The argument falls apart on a few grounds. First, the word

them in

the last phrase of verse 8 refers not to “four notable ones” but “four

winds of heaven.” Immediately after, the text says that out of “one of

them” came forth a little horn. One of what? The closest phrase is “the

four winds of heaven,” the obvious choice. (Some argue that horns

grow out of horns, not winds, though when was the last time anyone

ever saw a horn grow out of another horn?)

Second, Hebrew grammar, with feminine and masculine nouns,

works very well linking the “one of them” with the “four winds of

heaven”; it doesn’t work at all linking it with the “notable ones.”

Finally, even if that argument about origins had some validity, the other

factors would show the impossibility of the Antiochus interpretation.

Discussion Questions:

● Why are these issues so important? What difference does it

make? As a class, discuss this point: If, for instance, the little-

horn power were Antiochus, then the whole prophecy of Daniel 8

would have been fulfilled and completed about one hundred fifty

years before Christ. If so, what would that mean for us, as

Seventh-day Adventists? Why do you think that the vast major-

ity of the Christian world today holds to such an erroneous view

of the little horn?

● Discuss as a class the issue of what it means to hold doctrines

that most other Christians don’t accept. Should this bother us?

Discuss your answers.

tor

INSIDE

Standing for God

Charlotte Ishkanian

In some parts of western Africa, choosing to convert to Christianity in

these areas can be, literally, a matter of life and death. Amo* is a Fulani,

part of a semi-nomadic tribe of cattle herders. One evening as he walked

through his village, he heard someone speaking through a loud speaker.

Curious, he approached the source of the broadcast and found a few peo-

ple listening to a man talking about Jesus. Amo kept his distance, know-

ing that even being seen near a Christian could mean trouble. But the

speaker’s message drew him to listen, so he stood a safe distance away and

absorbed the speaker’s message. That message touched off a battle for

Amo’s heart.

Every night the Global Mission pioneer presented a message of God’s

love. When he spoke about the Sabbath, Amo was surprised, for he had

discovered references to the Sabbath in his religion’s holy book. He

wanted to ask a religious teacher about it, but he feared the consequences.

However when he listened to the pioneer describe the Sabbath, he was

thrown into turmoil. He remembered that his holy book pronounces a

curse on Sabbath breakers. But he knew of no faithful follower of his reli-

gion who kept the Sabbath. What should he do?

When the pioneer invited those who would follow God and keep His

Sabbath to come forward, Amo stepped out of his hiding place and walked

to the front of the crowd. He knew that his decision could cost his life, but

he felt an unspeakable inner peace.

Your mission offerings help share the good news about Jesus in diffi-

cult areas such as Amo’s country.

*Amo is a pseudonym. Charlotte Ishkanian is editor of Mission.

Produced by the General Conf

erence Office of Mission A

wareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*September 2-8

L ESSON

The Sanctuary and the

Little Horn

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Exod. 27:20; 29:42;

Num. 4:7; 28:6; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:24-27; 8:1-5; 9:1-14, 24.

Memory Text:

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is

the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand

of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanc-

tuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not

man” (Hebrews 8:1, 2).

n the past few weeks, we have seen the emphasis that Daniel 8 has

placed on the little horn. Obviously, it’s an issue of great impor-

tance, considering the prominence given not only to its description

but also to its explanation later in the chapter.

This week we’re going to look even more closely at the little horn,

focusing specifically on its attack against the “prince of the host,” the

“daily,” and “the place of his sanctuary.”

We’re going to see, too, how central the idea of the heavenly sanc-

tuary is to the chapter, for it’s only in the context of the heavenly sanc-

tuary and its services that we can get a better understanding of the lit-

tle horn’s assault.

This week’s study also will help set the foundation for what will

come later: a deeper look at the role of the sanctuary, and particularly

its cleansing, in the context of the gospel and the entire plan of salva-

tion, which, of course, leads into the great hope for all Christians

everywhere: the second coming of Jesus.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 9.

SUNDAY

September 3

“Even to the Prince of the Host”

Read

Daniel 8:9-12, which focuses on the activity of the little horn.

What are the specific things, according to the text, that the little-

horn power does?

____________________________________________________________________

In an earlier lesson (week 5), we noticed how the direction of the

little horn’s activity had shifted, first from a horizontal direction

(vs. 9), which depicted a military or political expansion, to a vertical

one (vss. 10-12), which revealed a religious dimension. This, we said,

showed the two phases of Rome, first pagan, then papal.

Look

again at the description of the little horn’s activities in verses

10-12. These actions, obviously, aren’t to be taken literally but

symbolically. Without attempting to understand each symbol,

what kind of action is being portrayed here? What kind of attack

is the little horn launching?

____________________________________________________________________

Look at some of the key words seen in this attack: “host” (Neh. 9:6,

Luke 2:13); “heaven” (Matt. 6:1, Heb. 9:24); “prince” (Isa. 9:6, Dan.

12:1, Acts 3:15, 5:31); “daily” (Num. 4:16, 28:24, 29:6); “sanctuary”

(Exod. 25:8; Heb. 8:1, 2); “truth” (Job 9:2, John 14:6, 1 Tim. 2:4,

James 5:19). All these words, filled with religious and spiritual mean-

ing, are what come under attack by the little horn. Thus, more than

anything else, it’s the religious attack by the little horn that plays great

prominence here, and that’s the focus of the vision. The Lord wants us

to see the religious dimension of the little horn and that its activities

are in a religious sphere. This activity is seen again in the explanation

in Daniel 8:23-25, in which the little horn specifically is said to

persecute “the mighty and the holy people,

” as well as to stand up

against “the Prince of princes.”

In your own experience, what are the ways that your faith and

beliefs have come under attack? Which has been the greatest

challenge to y

ou? What has been your most effective means of

defense?

MONDAY

September 4

The Sanctuary

Compare

the kind of beast-symbols found in Daniel 7 and in

Daniel 8. What great difference do you see between them?

Not only are the beasts in Daniel 8 sanctuary animals, they are

among the animals used on the Day of Atonement

(Leviticus 16). This

provides the first link to the book of Leviticus, which spends more

time dealing with the sanctuary service than any other book in the Old

Testament.

Read

again Daniel 8:10-12 (see also vss. 13, 14). What is the center of

the little horn’s attack?

It’s clear that the sanctuary is under attack.

First, the little horn takes away the “daily.” The Hebrew word trans-

lated “daily”

(tamid) also means “continual,” or “perpetual,” and it is

used numerous times in direct reference to the day-by-day ministry of

the priests in the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary service. This,

then, is an unmistakable reference, not only to the sanctuary service

but to the daily ministry in that service (see Exod. 27:20, 29:42, Num.

4:7, 28:6).

In Daniel 8:11, it said that the “place” or the “foundation” of His

sanctuary was cast down. That word place is found in numerous texts,

all in reference to the sanctuary, or to God’s dwelling place, which

also has a link to the sanctuary

(Exod. 15:17, 1 Kings 8:13, 2 Chron.

6:2, Isa. 18:4).

Then there are, of course, the references to the “sanctuary” itself,

found not only in verse 11 but also in verses 13 and 14. These verses

alone show clearly how the sanctuary, which was the earthly model of

the plan of salvation, was under attack.

Given

the time frame of this phase of the little horn, which arose

around the fifth century

A.D., why can this not be an attack on the

earthly sanctuary?

Because the ear

thl

y sanctuar

y had been destroyed in

A.D. 70, this

was an attack on the heavenly sanctuary. The little horn, of course,

would not get into heaven, so this, instead, would have been an attack

on all that was symbolized by the sanctuary, which is the plan of sal-

vation. Thus, the little horn attacks not only God’s people but the plan

of salvation, as w

ell.

TUESDAY

September 5

The Attack

Daniel, more than five hundred years before Christ, is shown in

vision the essence of Rome’s later attack on “the truth,” which it cast

“to the ground”

(Dan. 8:12). Among other things, the little horn

waxes great, even against the “Prince of the host,” Jesus.

the time of Rome’s attack, where was Christ, and what was He

doing? Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:24-27; 8:1-5; 9:11-14, 24.

____________________________________________________________________

The little horn, as we saw, waxed great, even to the “Prince of the

host,” who is obviously Christ. Its attack, too, centered against not just

the people of God but against the sanctuary and its foundation and

services, in this case, specifically, the “daily” service.

It’s very important to keep in mind that Christ, “the Prince of the

host,” is now ministering for us in the heavenly sanctuary, which is

under attack by the little horn. Again, the language was symbolic; the

little horn didn’t actually get into heaven, any more than it physically

cast the “truth” or the “place of his sanctuary” to the ground.

Thus, this attack by the little horn was also an attack on the plan of

salvation, which began with the death of Christ (symbolized by the

death of the animals in the sanctuary service), and which was fol-

lowed by Christ’s high-priestly ministry (symbolized by the ministry

of the priesthood in the earthly service). Everything symbolized by

that sanctuary has come under attack by the little horn.

How did it do this?

Christ is now our High Priest, interceding for us in the heavenly

sanctuary. A careful study of the Roman system shows how the entire

structure of the church, with its priesthood, mediation, and mass,

usurps everything that Christ has done for us or is doing for us now.

Everything that we as believers would attribute directly to God and

Christ has been commandeered by the Roman Church itself, which

according to the text “magnified itself ”

(Dan. 8:11, RSV), even to

Christ Himself (see Frida

y’s lesson).

What is the r

ole of the or

anized church in the plan of salva-

tion? How can you be an active participant in helping the

church fulfill its role? At the same time, what are the limits of

what the church can do for you in your walk with the Lord?

WEDNESDAY

September 6

The “Daily”: Part 1

As you read about the little horn’s attack in Daniel 8:10-12 on the

sanctuary, it says specifically that the little horn took away “the daily.”

Though many translations in English supply the word “sacrifice” or

“burnt offerings,” the text does not say that. Though this addition

shows that translators were able to see the clear link with the sanctu-

ary, the added word is not warranted. The word “daily” (see Monday’s

lesson) dealt not just with the daily sacrifices but with the entire daily

operations of the earthly sanctuary.

What

part of the “daily” service (translated as “always,” “continual,”

“perpetual”) is depicted in each of these texts? Also, in what part

of the sanctuary are most of these activities taking place?

Exod. 25:30

____________________________________________________________________

Exod. 27:20

____________________________________________________________________

Exod. 30:8

____________________________________________________________________

Lev. 6:13

____________________________________________________________________

In these texts, the word tamid (translated “daily” or “the daily” in

Daniel 8:11) modified each of these activities. Thus, though the tamid

included the sacrifices, it included the day-by-day ministrations of the

priesthood, which, according to the book of Hebrews, was just an

“example and shadow of heavenly things” (Heb. 8:5). Those heavenly

things, of course, were the spiritual realities of Christ’s high-priestly

ministry; all these earthly activities, these shadows, were simply sym-

bols of Christ ministering in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf.

Again, this is what has come under attack by the little horn.

Also notice, too, that these activities centered around the first apart-

ment of the earthly sanctuary. The bread, the lampstand, and the

incense were all in the first apartment; the sacrifice, of course, was at

the altar outside it.

The important point, which will be seen later, is that none of the

activities had anything to do with the Most Holy Place, the second

apartment, which the high priest entered only once a year, when the

sanctuary was cleansed.

What kind of “daily,” or “continual” activities are so important

for your own spiritual growth? Why is the fact that they are

done “daily” so important for that growth?

THURSDAY

September 7

“The Daily”: Part 2

The earthly sanctuary service was a model of the heavenly; the sac-

rifices and the ministry of the priesthood were types, figures, mini-

prophecies, as it were, of the death and high-priestly ministry of Jesus.

What

does Hebrews 9:1-14 teach about the relationship between the

earthly service and the heavenly one?

Students of the sanctuary service know that besides the daily min-

istration in the first apartment, once a year the high priest entered into

the Most Holy Place to perform the “cleansing of the sanctuary” (see

Leviticus 16). Because this happened only once a year, it’s often

called “the yearly,” to contrast it with “the daily.” Hence, the entire

sanctuary service could be placed broadly in two categories: the daily,

first-apartment ministry, and the yearly, second-apartment ministry,

during which the sanctuary was cleansed.

We’ve seen, too, that the little horn attacks the heavenly sanctuary,

which was an attack on the plan of salvation itself. This, we believe,

refers to the entire Roman Catholic system, which has usurped the

role and prerogatives of God and Christ in the plan of salvation (see

Friday’s lesson).

Now, an important question: Why was just the daily service,

the

tamid, specified as the object of the little horn’s attack? Why did the

vision emphasize only one aspect of the sanctuary service, as opposed

to both?

Read

Daniel 8:14. How does this text help answer the above questions?

The little horn was able to attack only the “daily” because the

“yearly,” the second-apartment ministry, which occurred when the

sanctuary was cleansed, wasn’t in operation then. Not until the end of

the 2,300 years, 1844, was the sanctuary to be cleansed and the

“yearly” began.

Thus, in Daniel 8, both phases of Christ’s high-priestly ministry

appear: “the daily,” which comes under attack by the little horn, and

“the yearly,” which commences at the end of the 2,300 days. Both are

brought to vie

w in this chapter

Imagine if every time you sinned, you had to sacrifice an inno-

cent animal. What kind of lessons would that teach you about

sin? Contrast the death of a g

oat to the death of the Son of God.

What does His death tell us about the cost of sin? How seriously

do you take sin in y

our own life?

FRIDAY

September 8

Further Study:

Below are quotes, all taken from the Catechism of

the Catholic Church (New York: Doubleday, 1995). As you read, keep

in mind Daniel 8:11, 12 and the little horn’s usurpation of what

belonged only to God and Christ.

“The power to ‘bind and loose’ connotes the authority to absolve

sins. . . . Jesus entrusted this authority to the Church through the min-

istry of the apostles.”—No. 553.

“As sacrament, the Church is Christ’s instrument. ‘She is taken up

by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all,’ ‘the universal

sacrament of salvation.’ ”—No. 776.

“It is in the Church that ‘the fullness of the means of salvation’ has

been deposited.”—No. 824.

“Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the

Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation.”—No. 846.

“The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She

bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salva-

tion.”—No. 868.

“There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot for-

give.”—No. 982.

“Were there no forgiveness of sins in the Church, there would be no

hope of eternal life. Let us thank God who has given his Church such

a gift.”—No. 983.

“By Christ’s will, the Church possesses the power to forgive the sins

of the baptized.”—No. 986.

“Through the liturgy Christ, our redeemer and high priest, contin-

ues the work of our redemption in, with, and through His Church.”

—No. 1096.

“Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the

Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself,

which we enter by Baptism.”—No. 1277.

Discussion Questions:

● How do these quotes help us better understand the little

horn’s usurpation of what belongs only to God?

● As a class, discuss the question at the end of Tuesday’s lesson.

What is the role of the church in the plan of salvation; what are

the limits in what it can do for us? Why is the church a means to

an end but not an end in itself?

tor

INSIDE

The Strange Illness

Irina Polushkina

Irina grew up in an atheist home in the Ukraine. Shortly after her sec-

ond child was born, she began to suffer severe back pain. The pain

increased daily, and Irina lost several inches in height as her spine deteri-

orated. Her doctor was puzzled and could do little more than give her pain

medication. She would have committed suicide, but the sight of her chil-

dren’s sweet faces kept her alive.

Her brother visited her and was horrified to see that his once-beautiful

sister had lost her hair, her teeth, and her fingernails. “You came too late,”

Irina told her brother. “No one can help me.”

“No, there is one Physician who can heal you,” he replied, “and that is

God. You do not have to leave home to consult Him, for you can speak to

Him through prayer.”

Irina was surprised at her brother’s words, for he had been a strong

Communist. But she listened as he explained that Jesus had created the

world and cared for her. He gave her a New Testament and urged her to

read it and to pray.

Irina found the New Testament hard to understand. She could not kneel

to pray, so she lay on the floor and prayed, “If You love me, turn Your face

to me and let me be healthy again.”

Slowly Irina began to recover, and after 18 months she was well enough

to return to work. She and her husband continued searching for God. They

tried several churches but did not feel comfortable in any of them.

When Irina enrolled in a sewing class, she sat next to a woman who

talked about God. Irina was eager to hear all this woman had to say. After

class Irina asked the woman, “How can I find the truth?” The woman

advised her to let the Bible lead her to the true church, which would fol-

low all of God's commandments.

The next week Irina stayed after class to learn more. Her new friend

talked about the Sabbath. Irina had never heard of the Sabbath before.

Irina accepted her new friend’s invitation to evangelistic meetings in a

house church. Though the church was small, the people welcomed her

warmly. Irina took some literature home to study with her husband. The

couple attended the meetings together, and today they are members of the

Adventist Church.

Part of a recent Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped provide a new

church in Irina’s city. She and her fellow Adventists say “Thank you!”

Irina Polushkina lives in Sum

y, Ukraine.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

Web site:www.adventistmission.org

*September 9-15

L ESSON

The Pre-Advent Judgment

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Deut. 25:1, 1 Kings 8:32,

Ps. 51:1-4, Matt. 22:1-13, Heb. 9:22-24, Rev. 20:12, 22:12.

Memory Text:

“And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is

with me, to give every man according as his work shall be”

(Revelation 22:12).

ast week we looked at the pre-Advent judgment mostly in

Daniel 8; this week we’ll look at it again but from the perspec-

tive of Daniel 7 and some of the fascinating insights given to us

there. As with the Gospels, we are given here more than just one

rendering; both chapters contain crucial truths that need to be under-

stood together. Each one, however enlightening, needs what the other

has and, taken together, they reveal to us much about this judgment.

What’s important to remember is that these chapters are not just

deep theology or prophecy or history; instead, they together send a

message to us, a message of hope, a message of promise. Together

they tell us that no matter how bad things are, they aren’t going to last;

that despite appearances, the God who outlines for us the history of

the world from Daniel’s time until ours and into the future will bring

about a wonderful end in which evil will be punished and the just shall

be saved. How important, amid our study of charts and graphs and

historical events, not to lose sight of this crucial point. How impor-

tant, too, that as w

e share with the world these truths, we always keep

before the people not just beasts and little horns but the wonderful

promise of eternal life in God’s kingdom that’s been assured to us

through the blood of Jesus and His death in our behalf.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 16.

SUNDAY

September 10

“Until the Ancient of Days Came”

One point that we touched on earlier this quarter was the impor-

tance of the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. We saw (see week

5) four events depicted in the vision (Media-Persia, Greece, Rome,

sanctuary cleansed); with the first three of obvious major importance,

and with the vision climaxing with the cleansing of the sanctuary, it’s

more than obvious that whatever the cleansing of the sanctuary was,

it had to be of major importance, as well.

Thus, the question is, What is this cleansing of the sanctuary, which

was of such importance that it would be linked with the great empires

that Scripture uses to depict the history of the world?

Daniel 8 itself doesn’t yield much, in and of itself, on the answer;

fortunately, the Lord didn’t give us just Daniel 8. We have the obvi-

ous parallel with Daniel 7, which, in a great way, helps unfold the

mysteries of Daniel 8.

earlier saw the parallel between the judgment in Daniel 7 and the

cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. Read Daniel 7:9, 10, 13,

14, 18, 21, 22, 26, 27. What does this judgment (the same as the

cleansing of the sanctuary) lead to? What is the result of this

judgment? What one specific point is emphasized over and over?

____________________________________________________________________

Notice a theme reiterated in these verses: The saints will be given

God’s kingdom, an everlasting kingdom that will not pass away as did

all the ones before it. Over and over, after the depiction of various

kingdoms, especially the blasphemous and persecuting little horn, the

final victory of God and His saints is shown. In other words, no mat-

ter how bad things get or how long things take, in the end, as a result

of this heavenly judgment/cleansing of the sanctuary, evil will be

eradicated, and God’s eternal kingdom will be established.

In this context, ho

w much easier now to understand why the cleans-

ing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8 climaxes the vision of these earthly

powers. No wonder, too, it’s shown to be so important!

All the other kingdoms came and went or finally will be

destroyed. In contrast, the saints will “possess” (vs. 18) God’

eternal kingdom. What does that promise mean to you? What’s

the first thing you want to do when you get there?

MONDAY

September 11

Judgment and the Little Horn

As Adventists, we understand the cleansing of the sanctuary as a

judgment that involves those who have professed to be followers of

Christ

(see Matt. 22:1-13). We see this especially because in the

earthly type of the cleansing of the sanctuary, the Day of Atonement

(see Leviticus 16), the judgment centered around God’s people.

Nevertheless, the question arises, Why in both Daniel 7 and in

Daniel 8 is the judgment/sanctuary cleansing depicted in the context

of the little horn, at least the phase of the little horn shown in the

vision? What does the little horn have to do with the pre-Advent judg-

ment?

Read

again the texts looked at yesterday. What is the difference in the

fate of the little horn and the fate of the “saints of the most high”?

See especially Dan. 7:22.

____________________________________________________________________

It’s very clear: The little horn is punished, condemned, while the

saints are vindicated, exonerated. This is typical of the Hebrew con-

cept of justice and judgment: It involved not just the punishment of

the guilty or the vindication of the righteous—but both. Both are cru-

cial elements of justice in Hebrew thinking, and both are seen here in

this depiction of the pre-Advent judgment.

Read

Deuteronomy 25:1 and 1 Kings 8:32. How do these two verses

reveal the principles seen in Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 together?

____________________________________________________________________

Of course, the judgment in Daniel 7 results in the end of the little

horn, but that’s only because the judgment results in the Second

Coming, which brings about the end of the whole world anyway (at

least as we know it now). The point is that the judgment, though

expressed here in the context of the little horn, a symbol of evil,

involved more than just the little horn. What we see here are two ele-

ments: evil punished, the saints vindicated. It hardly would seem like

justice if it were any other way.

The righteous vindicated,

vil punished.

That’

s God’

s promise.

How should that promise help you through times when, so

often, it seems only the opposite happens?

TUESDAY

September 12

Theodicy, Again

In the first week of this quarter we looked at a term, theodicy,

which meant the vindication of God in the face of evil. It’s the idea

that despite all the evil in the world, we can trust that God is good and

righteous and just.

We saw, too, that sin and evil began in another part of the universe

and that sin and the questions it raised weren’t limited only to earth.

On the contrary, the earth is merely the place where they are being

played out. We also looked at the fact that other intelligences in the

universe also are involved, and interested, in the question raised about

sin and rebellion.

Read

Daniel 7:9, 10 and then answer the following questions:

● What event is taking place here?

● Where is it taking place?

● Before whom?

Not only do we have a heavenly judgment scene here, a judgment

that leads to the destruction of the little horn and the establishment of

God’s kingdom, this judgment takes place before a multitude of heav-

enly beings. “Ten thousand times ten thousand” is a way of depicting

an uncountable multitude. Thus, what we see here is the onlooking

universe watching God execute the judgment that leads to the estab-

lishment of His eternal kingdom.

Keeping

in mind this judgment scene in Daniel 7, read Psalm 51:1-

4 and Romans 3:4. How do these texts fit in with the judgment as

revealed in Daniel 7?

The crucial point to remember here is that God is judging His people

in an open way before the onlooking universe. And He’s going to do it

in a manner that, when it’s over, it will be said that “you are proved right

when you speak and justified when you judge” (Ps. 51:4, NIV).

How open and transparent are you in all your dealings and

judgments with others? If you’re not, why not, and what does

your answer tell y

ou a

bout the quality of those dealings? What

might you need to change?

WEDNESDAY

September 13

100

Pre-Advent Judgment

Read

Daniel 12:1, Matthew 16:27, and Revelation 20:12. Each, in its

own way, talks about judgment. What evidence can you find in

these texts that shows why this judgment is

before the Second

Coming; that is, a pre-Advent judgment?

____________________________________________________________________

If, at the Second Coming, the saints receive the kingdom and the lit-

tle horn is destroyed, there must have been some sort of reckoning

before the execution of the sentence. After all, even corrupt earthly

courts do as much! How fair would it be to sentence someone and

then, only after the sentence, have a trial and investigate the facts?

If, when Christ returns, “my reward is with me, to give every man

as his work shall be”

(Rev. 22:12) and we all are to be judged by our

works (Eccles. 12:13, 14; 1 Cor. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 20:12), then

it’s fairly obvious that there must be a judgment prior to the Second

Coming. Or, as Adventists phrase it—a pre-Advent, or investigative,

judgment. (After all, what kind of judgment prior to a sentence doesn’t

entail an investigation of some kind?)

Read

carefully, again, the judgment scene as depicted in Daniel 7 (if

need be, look at some of the previous charts that parallel the

chapters). Putting aside any of the numbers and dates, why is this

so clearly a pre-Advent judgment? In fact, what evidence do you

find in the texts that hint at an investigation?